I would open it up to every wind of heaven and
let them blow away all sad, anxious thoughts lurking in the corners and
curtains."
"O John, I would like that so much! It would be a great comfort to me.
But you can see that Martha would be running about cold and warm, wet
and dry, and her old nurse went to Shipley when she left here."
"I have considered these things, Jane, and decided that I would take
Martha up to Hatton Hall, and we would stay with mother while you were
away. It would be a great pleasure to mother, and do us all good."
"But, John, London would be no pleasure to me without Martha."
"I feel much the same, Jane. Martha is the joy of life to me. You must
leave me my little daughter. You know her grandmother will take every
care of her."
"I can take care of her myself. She has been my companion and comforter
all through these past four years of sorrow. I cannot part with her, not
for a day."
This controversy regarding the child was continued with unremitting
force of feeling on both sides for some time, but John finally gave way
to Jane's insistence, and the early days of April were spent in
preparations for the journey to London and the redecoration of the home.
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