"It is rather big," she said. "But if Freddy should marry and settle down——"
"It will not be too big," declared Georgiana. "I have been drawing up my ideas about the rooms. And I have toiled all the morning in the study." Mrs. Cockburn looked alarmed. Even in a possible daughter-in-law this was rather drastic.
"He will not like you to touch his study."
"I know. He charged me to let it alone," said Georgiana calmly; "but it is no good giving in to a man's absurd notions, and he had crammed it with such extraordinary things. I have made it look like another place."
Again Freddy's mother sighed. It was the familiar tone of the family tyrant. She sighed for Freddy.
The sigh was interrupted by his return. Unexpectedly as he had disappeared yesterday, he came back. They heard him cross the hall with a long, quick, eager step, and then he burst in upon them, a boy again.
"Well, where have you been?" asked his mother, smiling. He was so tired and dusty, and so excited.
The Vicar looked at her like a school-boy, half-proud, half-shy.
"I've been to the old place," he said, "to ask Dolly if she would have me. And she says 'Yes.'"
R. Ramsay.