ThoughscarcelyontermswithherbrotherJohn，shehadkeptupcloserrelationswithTheobaldandhisfamily，andhadpaidafewdays’visittoBattersbyonceineverytwoyearsorso。AletheahadalwaystriedtolikeTheobaldandjoinforceswithhimasmuchasshecouldfortheytwoweretheharesofthefamily，therestbeingallhounds，butitwasnouse。Ibelieveherchiefreasonformaintainingrelationswithherbrotherwasthatshemightkeepaneyeonhischildrenandgivethemaliftiftheyprovednice。
WhenMissPontifexhadcomedowntoBattersbyinoldtimesthechildrenhadnotbeenbeaten，andtheirlessonshadbeenmadelighter。Sheeasilysawthattheywereoverworkedandunhappy，butshecouldhardlyguesshowall-reachingwastheregimeunderwhichtheylived。Sheknewshecouldnotinterfereeffectuallythen，andwiselyforboretomaketoomanyenquiries。Hertime，ifeveritwastocome，wouldbewhenthechildrenwerenolongerlivingunderthesameroofastheirparents。ItendedinhermakinguphermindtohavenothingtodowitheitherJoeyorCharlotte，buttoseesomuchofErnestasshouldenablehertoformanopinionabouthisdispositionandabilities。
HehadnowbeenayearandahalfatRoughboroughandwasnearlyfourteenyearsold，sothathischaracterhadbeguntoshape。Hisaunthadnotseenhimforsomelittletimeand，thinkingthatifshewastoexploithimshecoulddosonowperhapsbetterthanatanyothertime，sheresolvedtogodowntoRoughboroughonsomepretextwhichshouldbegoodenoughforTheobald，andtotakestockofhernephewundercircumstancesinwhichshecouldgethimforsomefewhourstoherself。AccordinglyinAugust1849，whenErnestwasjustenteringonhisfourthhalfyearacabdroveuptoDrSkinner’sdoorwithMissPontifex，whoaskedandobtainedleaveforErnesttocomeanddinewithherattheSwanHotel。ShehadwrittentoErnesttosayshewascomingandhewasofcourseonthelook-outforher。Hehadnotseenherforsolongthathewasrathershyatfirst，buthergoodnaturesoonsethimathisease。Shewassostronglybiassedinfavourofanythingyoungthatherheartwarmedtowardshimatonce，thoughhisappearancewaslessprepossessingthanshehadhoped。Shetookhimtoacakeshopandgavehimwhateverhelikedassoonasshehadgothimofftheschoolpremises；andErnestfeltatoncethatshecontrastedfavourablyevenwithhisauntstheMissesAllaby，whoweresoverysweetandgood。TheMissesAllabywereverypoor；sixpencewastothemwhatfiveshillingswastoAlethea。Whatchancehadtheyagainstonewho，ifshehadamind，couldputbyoutofherincometwiceasmuchasthey，poorwomen，couldspend？
Theboyhadplentyofprattleinhimwhenhewasnotsnubbed，andAletheaencouragedhimtochatteraboutwhatevercameuppermost。Hewasalwaysreadytotrustanyonewhowaskindtohim；ittookmanyyearstomakehimreasonablywaryinthisrespect——ifindeed，asI
sometimesdoubt，heeverwillbeaswaryasheoughttobe——andinashorttimehehadquitedissociatedhisauntfromhispapaandmammaandtherest，withwhomhisinstincttoldhimheshouldbeonhisguard。Littledidheknowhowgreat，asfarashewasconcerned，weretheissuesthatdependeduponhisbehaviour。Ifhehadknown，hewouldperhapshaveplayedhispartlesssuccessfully。