Then he added, with a slight twinkle in his eyes as he looked over at Anstice: "But when I do, I'm thinking of taking someone with me."
"Not Steppie!" cried out both the little girls. "You shan't have Steppie."
"No, you won't have her, we couldn't do without her," echoed Ruffie.
"But if I told her to come, she would have to do so," said Justin. "And I expect she would like to come."
Anstice looked across at him. Their eyes met. Justin's gravely imperturbable, Anstice's puzzled and slightly perplexed.
"Will you come with me, Anstice?"
His tone was not mocking, and yet beneath his steady gaze, Anstice felt that he was amusing himself at her expense.
"I always keep my promises," she said gently but firmly. "Which is my rightful place by our agreement? And who wants me most? The little ones or you?"
"We do, Steppie, we do," cried the little girls.
"Well, if you won't come out just yet, I must wait for you," said Justin, smiling enigmatically.