Chapter 18Tom Schmidt had recently spent so little time at home that he could only be missed nominally; and Lady Schmidt was soon amazed when she realized how well they were doing without his father, how well Edmund could take his place in the carving, talk to the administrator, write to the lawyer, settle accounts with the servants, and save them equally from fatigue or effort in every way except to direct their letters.
The earliest news about the safe arrival of travelers in Antigua after a cheap trip was received; but not before Mrs. Norris had surrendered to very terrible fears and tried to share them with Edmund whenever she could get him alone; and since she depended on being the first person to learn of every deadly catastrophe, she had already arranged the way she would communica
