“Father paid for the privilege of doing the driver’s work for him. I have no doubt of that, my dears,” said Madam. “Well, Dick, when did you see Jane?”
“Do you not observe, mother, that I am in evening dress? Jane has a dance and supper to-night. Members from the government side will be dropping in there after midnight, for refreshment. Both Houses are in all-night sittings now.”
“How does Leyland vote?”
“He is tremendously royal and loyal. You will have to mind your p’s and q’s with him now, father.”
“Not I! I take my awn way. Leyland’s way and mine are far apart. How is your Aunt Josepha?”
“She is all right. She is never anything else but all right. Certainly she is vexed that Katherine is not to stay with her. Jane has been making a little brag about it, I suppose.”
“Katherine could stay part of the time with her,” said the squire.
“She had better be with Jane. Aunt will ask O’Connell to her dinners, and others whom Katherine would not like.”
“Why does she do it? She knows better.”
“I suspect we all know better than we do. She says, ‘O’Connell keeps the dinner table lively.’ So he does. The men quarrel all the time they eat and the women really admire them for it. They say ‘Oh!’ at a very strong word, but they would love to see them really fighting. Women affect tenderness and fearfulness; they are actually cruel creatures. Aunt says, ‘that was what her dear departed told her, and she had no doubt he had had experiences.’ Jane sent her love to all of you, and she purposes coming for Katherine about two o’clock to-morrow.”