He left the room. Sidney dropped into the big leather chair he had vacated, and drew a long sigh: "Well, dad dear?"
The Admiral looked at her with a little whimsical smile.
"Our fears have turned into certainty. Now we must buck up, and take it as happily as we can."
"Does he expect to bring her here, and make us into one happy family?"
"We can but give it a trial."
"Oh, we can't—we can't!"
Sidney's forced composure gave way. She almost wrung her hands.
"Oh, dad dear, how shall we stand her? It's impossible! She must not be brought here. It's bad enough to have to ask her to dinner, but to live in the house with us is awful! Never to be able to get away from her! And it will mean misery to Uncle Ted. She does not really care for him; it must be to get a comfortable home and a position. Think how she has been going on with Austin! She was determined to get one of them, and she really cares for neither of them, or she could not have acted so! What can we do?"
The Admiral leant back in his chair and half-shut his eyes.
"If it is not pleasant, we can go away and leave her in possession."