‘I was just going to have instanced her neglect of Johnnie.’
‘I assure you,’ cried Violet, eagerly, ‘that is only because she does not like me. You cannot think how fond she is of him. When I am out of the way she goes to the nursery and pets him till Sarah is almost jealous of his fondness for her.’
‘I have no patience with her,’ exclaimed John.
‘I thought you would have been glad.’
‘I do not like Percy to make a mistake, and get his feelings trifled with. He deserves a wife like himself.’
‘Did you hear of Arthur’s advice to him?’
‘To kill the cat on the wedding-day. That might answer if it were to be at once; but it is a cat with nine lives, and I do not think she will bear to have it killed before the wedding-day.’
‘Then it is not to be soon?’
‘No, my father thinks her not fit for a poor man’s wife, and cannot give her more than £5000, so they must wait till they can begin on an income equal to yours.’
‘And I suppose that will be when he gets some appointment.’