For of late she had been learning how much children could be to parents.
“But I think Mrs. Barrington had opportunities of knowing,” returned her mother with a warm pressure, and fond smile.
Willard had been studying her. “There’s something about her like you, mother, and something that recalls Vincent. Oh, won’t he be surprised! He will want to fly home again. Oh, you will not mind if Zaidee carries off the family beauty. She is such a dear! And we ought to have one star of the goodly Crawford family.”
“I am glad, and I thought her lovely at the first glance. Why, the girls are quite wild about her. I shall not mind anything so long as you all love me. Oh, I will try to deserve it.”
There were tears in her eyes and her mother kissed her tenderly. Then they talked about her coming home which could not be until her whole duty was performed and there was no omission to think of.
Yet they went lingeringly, loth to leave her.
“She has a great deal of character;” said Willard. “She seems more mature than Zay. I am glad they are not alike, though it seems rather out of the order for twins. Oh, mother, I can foresee that she will be a great deal to you in a womanly way. We can never thank God enough for her.”
“And all these years, amid the suffering, I have always thought if I had left my darling at home. I was so proud of her I wanted your father to see her. Zaidee was not such a fine looking baby. We had both so ardently desired a daughter; indeed we had often said two boys and two girls was an ideal family.”
“And I wouldn’t give up Vin—boys have a delightful interest in each others’ lives and doings. I suppose sisters feel the same way. That is—well, it will be a little strange at first. Zay has been our queen so long, and it can’t be quite like living together from infancy.”
“No. So we must make allowance for both of them until they reach the true level of birthright. Marguerite is very proud and has unusually well defined ideas of duty, while we have never put anything but love before Zay. I expect we have spoiled her.”