"And of course Virginia immediately suggested he should marry me," said Miss Dexter. "She is so generous with her belongings."
"It made us very good friends," said Lady George. "A joke of that sort always does. We shall carry it on till the end of my tenancy, and then he will propose to Toby. You'll see, Dick."
"I shouldn't blame him," said Dick. "The stables aren't so very bad, are they?"
"Oh, Wilson says they'll do. But I wish you had been able to get me a brighter house, Dick. It is rather depressing, in spite of all my furbishing and knick-knacks."
"My dear girl, it was absolutely the only one within reach. We don't let houses for hunting hereabouts. You wait till you see the dower-house. I was there this morning, and really I'd no idea what a jolly little place it is. With the few alterations I'm going to make, and all the jolly old furniture, it will be a topping place. You'll fall in love with it, Virginia."
She sighed. "There are some fences to take before we land up there," she said. "I'm rather frightened about it all, Dick. When will your mother come and see me? Have you told her I am here yet?"
"No," he said shortly. "I shall tell them this evening."
Miss Dexter dropped her work in her lap with a gesture of impatience, and looked up at him. "Why haven't you told them?" she asked. "Are you ashamed of her?"
Dick's face flushed and his lips tightened. "That isn't a proper question to ask, Miss Dexter," he said. "I know what I'm about, and so does Virginia."
"My dear Toby, for goodness' sake don't make him angry," said Lady George. "I'm frightened of him when he looks like that."