"Of course," said Clara quickly. "We never let it make any difference. In fact our Bert and he are rather friends, aren't they, Albert?"
At this moment George himself opened the door of the dining-room, letting out a faint buzz of talk and clink of vessels. His mouth was not empty.
Precipitately Edwin plunged into the breakfast-room.
"Hello! You people!" he murmured. "Well, Mr. Peartree."
There they were--all of them, including the parson--grouped together, lusciously bathing in the fluid of scandal.
Clara turned, and without the least constraint said sweetly:
"Oh, Edwin! There you are! I was just telling Mr. Peartree about you and Hilda, you know. We thought it would be better."
"You see," said Auntie Hamps impressively, "Mr. Peartree will be about the town to-morrow, and a word from him--"
Mr. Peartree tried unsuccessfully to look as if he was nobody in particular.
"That's all right," said Edwin. "Perhaps the door might as well be shut." He thought, as many a man has thought: "My relations take the cake!"