"I understand that I'm a beast, and you're an angel!" exclaimed Jockie fervently. "And I'll shut my lips and never say a word more on the subject."
Sidney smiled, but her heart failed her at the prospect that lay before her. She chatted to Jockie on different village matters, and sent her home to the Rectory quite happy. Then she went to her father.
She found her uncle smoking a pipe with him in the study, and such an occurrence in the afternoon meant that something of importance was under consideration.
Her father looked up at her with a little relief in his eyes.
"Come along, little woman," he said cheerfully. "Give your Uncle Ted your good wishes. You can guess the news."
Sidney's face blanched. It had come quicker than she expected.
Then she pulled herself together with an effort. "Are you really going to marry Mrs. Norman?" she said with a smile, turning to her uncle.
Major Urquhart looked her steadily in the eyes.
"Yes," he said, with a mixture of shyness and defiance in his tone. "Don't you think she's very good to take such an old crock as I am?"
Sidney bent and kissed his forehead.