'Yes; Dr Thorne. I believe that he knows everything; and advises
everything, too. Whatever difficulties poor Gresham may have, I do
believe Dr Thorne has brought them about. I do believe it, Rosina.'

'Well, that is surprising. Mr Gresham with all his faults is a
gentleman; and how he can talk about his affairs with a low apothecary
like that I, for one, cannot imagine. Lord de Courcy has not always
been to me all that he should have been; far from it.' And Lady de
Courcy thought over in her mind injuries of a much graver description
than any that her sister-in-law had ever suffered; 'but I have never
known anything like that at Courcy Castle. Surely Umbleby knows all
about it, doesn't he?'

'Not half so much as the doctor,' said Lady Arabella.

The countess shook her head slowly; the idea of Mr Gresham, a country
gentleman of good estate like him, making a confidant of a country
doctor was too great a shock for her nerves; and for a while she was
constrained to sit silent before she could recover herself.

'One thing at any rate is certain, Arabella,' said the countess, as
soon as she found herself again sufficiently composed to offer counsel
in a properly dictatorial manner. 'One thing at any rate is certain;
if Mr Gresham be involved so deeply as you say, Frank has but only one
duty before him. He must marry money. The heir of fourteen thousand a
year may indulge himself in looking for blood, as Mr Gresham did, my
dear'--it must be understood that there was very little compliment in
this, as the Lady Arabella had always conceived herself to be a
beauty--'or for beauty, as some men do,' continued the countess,
thinking of the choice that the present Earl de Courcy had made; 'but