‘And saying nothing?’
‘Because I thought there was nothing else to be done; but this—’
‘Ay! I have told my father that, if we stay here, I hope he will lessen my allowance. Even then, I can pay off something every year of the debts that will be left after what would be cleared by the price of my commission.’
‘Oh, yes; we shall have scarcely any expense at all.’
‘Don’t agree to it, though, because you think I like it, if you do not. Consider how you will get on with grandmamma and the children. She makes promises; but as to trusting her not to spoil Helen—’
‘She does not spoil her half as much as her papa does,’ said Violet, with a saucy smile. ‘I’m not afraid. It is all love, you know, and grandmamma is very kind to me, even when Helen is in disgrace. If we can only be steady with her, I am sure another person to love her can do her no harm in the end. And, oh! think of the children growing up in the free happy country.’
‘Ay, my father and John spoke of that,’ said Arthur. ‘John wishes it very much. He says that all he could desire in this world is a share in our home and in our children’s hearts.’
‘I don’t know how it is that every one is so kind. Oh! it is too much! it overflows!’ Violet leant against her husband, shedding tears of happiness.
‘You silly little thing!’ he said, fondling her: ‘don’t you know why? You have won all their hearts.’
‘I never meant to’—half sobbed Violet.