Ned
adored his father, who was a most kind and genial man, and would
have suffered anything in silence rather than have caused him any
troubles or annoyance by complaining to him.
For his mother his feelings were altogether different. She was a
kindly and well intentioned woman, but weak and silly. On leaving
school she had gone out to join her father in India. Captain
Sankey had sailed in the same ship and, taken by her pretty face
and helpless, dependent manner, he had fallen in love with her,
knowing nothing of her real disposition, and they had been married
upon their arrival at the termination of the voyage. So loyal
was his nature that it is probable Captain Sankey never admitted
even to himself that his marriage had been a mistake; but none of
his comrades ever doubted it. His wife turned out one of the most
helpless of women. Under the plea of ill health she had at a very
early period of their marriage given up all attempt to manage the
affairs of the household, and her nerves were wholly unequal to
the strain of looking after her children. It was noticeable that
though her health was unequal to the discharge of her duties, she
was always well enough to take part in any pleasure or gayety which
might be going on; and as none of the many doctors who attended her
were able to discover any specific ailment, the general opinion
was that Mrs. Sankey's ill health was the creation of her own
imagination.
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