"Oh, yes, that is all very well. And in the meantime I shall be getting old—that is to say, I shall be losing time—and she will be sure to be run after by other men the moment my back is turned."
"It will be better to lose a little time than to worry her now," said Mrs. Reade. "If you draw off from her a little, she will miss you, and then probably she will want you, and provided you left her assured of your faithfulness, and didn't go flirting with Miss Hale and people, it would be just the kind of delicate and chivalrous consideration for her that she would appreciate. Yes, I know Rachel; it would touch her heart deeply."
"But some other fellow might get hold of her—finding she was free, you know."
"I think," said Mrs. Reade, smiling slightly, "that we may safely leave my mother to look after that."
Upon consideration Mr. Kingston thought so too. He began to see glimmerings of wisdom and reason in this proposed course.
"But your mother will have to be looked after herself," he said, breaking a little pause abruptly. "If I am not to worry Rachel, nobody else shall."
"Of course. I will look after my mother."
"And suppose," he continued presently, deep in troubled thoughts, "suppose she never renews the engagement after all?"
"Oh, well—suppose the world comes to an end to-morrow—we can't help it!"
"Do you think she will?"