"Well, if you won't believe it, you won't," said Nancy. "And it doesn't much matter now, because it is all over, and we are a united family once more; but you have no idea of the trouble Joan and I had with them all. Except mother, we were the only ones who kept our heads."
"At one time"—Joan took up the tale—"Humphrey was going to be put in to lord it over us, and sweet Sue Clinton; but directly Dick turned up and took father in hand we didn't hear any more about that, and they are going to have a scrumptious flat in town, and we are going up, one at a time, to stay with them, because they only have one spare room."
"Sue isn't bad," said Nancy. "We didn't care for her at first, but she's got a horrible old painted dragon of a mother, and when she's away from her she's quite decent, and I dare say we shall be able to make something of her."
"Now I don't want to hear any more gossip about people Joan 'n' Nancy," said Miss Bird, "tell me about Dick's wedding."
"Ivory satin," said Joan, "with sable hats and stoles and muffs, which Dick gave us, and shower bouquets of violets. We were the admired of all beholders."
"Toby Dexter acted as sort of best man to Virginia," said Nancy. "She's up in Yorkshire now, keeping the house warm for them."
The twins gave the rest of their news in alternate sentences.
"Cousin Humphrey gave Virginia away. He was very sweet, and made a lot of jokes afterwards."
"It was a very quiet wedding—at Blaythorn. Uncle Tom married them, and made several mistakes in the service. I suppose he was overcome. Humphrey was Dick's best man. They hadn't been very good friends at one time, but they had made it up, and now they like each other very much."
"We only had relations staying here for the wedding, except Mr. Spence, Dick's friend, whose property he is looking after. He was such fun. We simply loved him. He used to roar at all our jokes, especially at Nancy's rhapsodies, and we egged him on to make love to Miss Phipp."