They could not go with him; that was impossible.
But how were they to live whilst he was away? No doubt, if his
difficulty had been known, there were many wealthy people among his
friends who would gladly have removed it; but not one of them even
guessed at it. Was not Mrs. Bolton, the widow of the late archdeacon,
and the richest woman in Upton, own aunt to the rector, David Chantrey?
Next to Mr. Chantrey himself, Mrs. Bolton was the most eminent personage
in Upton. She had settled there upon the archdeacon's death, which
happened immediately after he had obtained the living for his wife's
favorite nephew. For some years she had been the only lady connected
with the rector, and had acted as his female representative. There was
neither mansion nor cottage which she had not visited. The high were her
associates; the low her proteges, for whose souls she labored. She was
at the head of all charitable agencies and benevolent societies. Nothing
could be set on foot in Upton under any other patronage. She was active,
untiring, and not very susceptible.
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