midnight
Mamma entertained the hope that her proposal would be adopted of herself taking charge of her grandson , and fattening his poor little cheeks on our cows ' milk , while the rest of the party continued their round of visits . Lady Peacock , however , treated it as a personal imputation that _ her _ nurse should be accused instead of any servant of Mrs. Winslow 's own , though , as Griff observed , not only character , but years and features might alike acquit them of any such doings ; but even he could not laugh long , for it was no small vexation to him that such offence should have arisen between his mother and wife . Of course there was no open quarrel -- my mother had far too much dignity to allow it to come to that -- but each said in private bitter things of the other , and my lady 's manner of declining to leave her baby at Chantry House was almost offensive . Poor Griffith , who had been growing more like himself every day , tried in vain to smooth matters , and would have been very glad to leave his child to my mother 's management , though , of course , he acquitted the nurse of the midnight adventure . He privately owned to us that he had no opinion of the woman , but he defended her to my mother , in whose eyes this was tantamount to accusing her own respectable maids , since it was incredible that any rational person could accept the phantom theory . Gladly would he have been on better terms , for he had had to confess that his wife 's fortune had turned out to be much less than common report had stated , or than her style of living justified , and that his marriage had involved him in a sea of difficulties , so that he had to beg for a larger allowance , and for assistance in paying off debts . The surrender of the London house and of some of the chief expenses were made conditions of such favours , and Griffith had assented gratefully when alone with his father ; but after an interview with his wife , demonstrations were made that it was highly economical to have a house in town , and horses , carriages , and servants and that any change would be highly derogatory to the heir of Earlscombe and the sacred wishes of the late Sir Henry Peacock .