“Assuredly. My brother,” looking with much admiration at Adolphe, “will now have large and important affairs to conduct in Paris.”
“I am sorry,” said Sophia Jane dejectedly.
Mademoiselle kissed her and Susan with much affection.
“If the sky is cold and grey here in England, we have also found good and warm hearts,” she said, “which we shall never forget. It is Gambetta with his little tinkling bell who will remind us of some of them.”
But Sophia Jane still looked grave. It was difficult to be glad that Monsieur and his sister were going away, and Susan’s spirits were also more sober, though it was a relief to find that the letter had contained good news. A quietness had indeed fallen upon the whole party, for Adolphe, now that the first excitement was over, sat silently musing with his gaze fixed dreamily on the distance. Even for Mademoiselle it was almost impossible to keep on talking all alone, and her remarks gradually became fewer until the start homewards was made. Then the movement and the chill evening air seemed to restore her usual briskness, and she proceeded to describe to the children the exact situation of the “appartement” which she and Adolphe would occupy on their return to Paris, and make many brilliant plans for the future. As they entered the town, observing that her brother still remained silent and thoughtful, she touched him gently on the knee.
“A quoi pense tu, mon frère?” she asked.
“Of many things, my sister,” he replied in French; “and amongst them, of how we shall best recompense the brave Madame Jones.”
Buskin was waiting to take the little girls home, and looked on with severity at Monsieur’s parting bows and graceful wavings of the sailor hat.
“Make my compliments to Madame, your aunt,” said Delphine to Susan, “and say that I shall wait on her to-morrow.”
So Sophia Jane’s party to Pegwell Bay was over, and all that remained was to repeat the wonderful news of Monsieur’s fortune at Belmont Cottage. It was received with enough excitement and interest to be quite satisfactory, and to be sufficient reason for sitting up much later than usual. There were many questions to answer from everyone, and Nanna and Margaretta appeared to find the smallest details welcome. “How did Monsieur look when he opened the letter? What did he say? What did Mademoiselle say? How large was the fortune? What was the cousin’s name who left it to him?”