'If you please, Freda, remain where you are, I would very much rather.'
Freda resumed her seat, and shortly after Mr Jones was announced.
'Quite an old man; twice as old as Nita,' was Freda's first thought as she looked at him.
Miss Hall rose and advanced to meet Mr Jones. They shook hands, Freda thought, very much like other people, and then Miss Hall introduced her, and Mr Jones bowed.
'I promised your sister to come and see you, Miss Hall, when I came down into Wales,' he said after he was duly seated.
'I am very much obliged to you, it was very kind,' was the reply.
Freda saw that they were both as nervous and shy as a couple of children, and came to the rescue by apologising for her father's unavoidable absence, he having gone to a neighbouring tenant's, and by saying that he would be at home at luncheon.
By degrees they all three got into conversation, and Mr Jones gave Miss Hall an account of her sister and her family. One little girl was very like Miss Hall, and she was the general favourite.'
'I am sure she must be very pretty,' suggested Freda.
'Very,' said Mr Jones, with a smile at Freda, of greater archness than she gave him credit for.