CHAPTER XXI
AN ENGAGEMENT
Mrs. Clinton reached Kencote in the dusk of the January afternoon and found the twins on the platform awaiting her. With the station staff and the other passengers in the train as audience, they gave her an all-embracing and, indeed, somewhat vociferous welcome, and led her to the carriage, one on each side of her, with little squeezings of the arms and continued expressions of joy.
"We shan't let you out of our sight again, mother," said Joan as they drove off. "It has been perfectly awful without you. We haven't known what to do at all."
"I hope you haven't been getting into mischief," said Mrs. Clinton, with an indulgent smile.
"We have been as good as gold," said Nancy. "You would hardly have recognised us. Haven't you noticed our gardenias? Humphrey gave them to us. He said they were the white flowers of a blameless life."
"Is Humphrey still at home?" Mrs. Clinton asked.
"Yes," said Joan; "and something has happened, mother; we don't quite know what, but we think he has got engaged."
"Engaged!" exclaimed their mother.