One day at dinner he said: "Where is Nancy?"
Mrs. Avory and Edith glanced at each other, and Valeria looked up in surprise.
"Where is Nancy?" repeated the grandfather impatiently.
Mrs. Avory coughed. Then she laid her hand gently on his sleeve. "Nancy is in heaven," she said softly.
"What!" cried the old gentleman, throwing down his table-napkin and glaring round the table.
"Your dear little daughter Nancy died many, many years ago," said Mrs. Avory.
The old gentleman rose. "It is not true!" he said with shaking voice. "She was here this morning. I saw her." Then his lips trembled, and he began to cry.
Valeria suddenly started up and ran from the room. In a moment she was back again, with her baby in its pink nightdress, kicking and crowing in her arms.
"Here's Nancy!" she said, with a little break in her voice.
"Why, of course!" cried Edith, clapping her hands. "Don't cry, grandpapa. Here's Nancy."