That evening, he joined the children in the drawing-room, and all of them sang together. Just before they were called away to bed, Josie and Georgie ran out to attend to Joshua, whom they had left in the garden. Ruffie was on his father's knee, and Anstice was putting her music by. Having done that, she was kneeling before the fire stirring it to a blaze, when Ruffie suddenly said:
"Steppie, Brenda says you have a big heart and love everybody—do you?"
"Oh, no, darling, I haven't as big a heart as that, I am afraid."
"Well, do you love Dad?"
Justin gave a slight start, then he looked across at Anstice with a little of his boy's impish mischief in his eyes.
"We must have an answer, mustn't we, Ruffie; but the question isn't at my instigation, I beg to state. It's a discussion we were having yesterday as to who loves who. To Ruffie there is no middle path. You either love or hate."
Anstice laughed to hide her embarrassment.
"But I have a middle path, Ruffie; I always have had one."
"But you do love Dad, don't you?" persisted the child. "He said yesterday he had nobody who loved him but me, and I told him there was you, and he said: 'You mustn't tell tales, sonnie, or our confidential talks will be over.'"
Justin was evidently uneasy as to what might be coming from Ruffie's frank revelations.