“You will like your brother?”
“A brother is dearer than a friend, and you have always been a friend, haven’t you, Mr. Odd?”
“Always, always, Hilda; I didn’t know that you realized it.”
“Did you realize it?”
“Did I, my dear Hilda! I did, I do, I always will.” Hilda’s face seemed subtly irradiated. Her listless look of pallor had brightened wonderfully. No one could have said that the lovely face was dull with this sudden change upon it. Peter felt that he himself was grave in comparison.
“And I am going to claim all a brother’s rights immediately, Hilda.”
“What are a brother’s rights?”
“I am going to look after you, to scold you, to see you don’t overwork yourself.”
“I give you leave, but you mustn’t presume too much on the new rights.”
“Ah! but I have old ones as well.”