"Well, we have been a pair of dolts, you and I, Tora. Poor old Dick! He must have been wishing us, and the house too, at the bottom of the sea. But what's to be done?"
"Why, you must tell him not to be so silly, of course; I don't know what she'll say, but let him take his chance."
"I'm getting a bit shy of taking a hand in these complications. We didn't make much of a success out of the Ledstone affair, among us! I think I shall let it alone, and leave them to settle it for themselves."
"You never have the courage of your convictions. It's one of your worst faults, Stephen." With this condemnation on her lips, Tora departed into the garden.
When Winnie went in to resume her labours, Stephen looked up from his books with a twinkle in his eye. "Trouble again, Winnie?"
"I really thought you'd better know about it, or you'd burn Dick's house down."
"You seem to have a knack of setting fires ablaze too."
"You might just let it appear that you've come to the conclusion that it's not the house which makes Dick so grumpy. Don't say a word about me, of course."
"He'll think me much cleverer than I have been."
"Well, I should think you'd like that, Stephen. I should, in your place."