“Then my Infanta and I will be thoroughly cosy together, and get some surprises ready for the others.”
“Hurrah! We’ll do the painting of the doors. What fun it will be to see London empty.”
The male population were horribly scandalised at the decision. Jock and Armine wanted to give up their journey, and John implored his aunt to come to Kencroft; but she only promised to send Babie there if she saw signs of flagging, and the Infanta laughed at the notion, and said she had had an overdose of country enough to last her for years. Allen said ladies overdid everything, and that Mother Carey could not help being one of the sex, and then he asked her for £10, and said Babie would have plenty of time to copy out “The Single Eye.” She pouted “I thought you were going to put the finishing touches.”
“I’ve marked them for you. Why, Barbara, I am surprised,” he added in an elder brotherly tone; “you ought to be thankful to be able to be useful.”
“Useful! I’ve lots of things to do! And you?”
“As if I could lug that great MS. of yours about with me on board Apthorpe’s yacht.”
“Never mind, Allen,” said his mother, who had not been intended to hear all this. “I will do it for you; but Miss Editor must not laugh at my peaked governessy hand.”
“I did not mean that, mother, only Babie ought not to be disobliging.”
“Babie has a good deal to do. She has an essay to write for her professor, you know, and her hands are pretty full.”
Babie too said, “Mother, I never meant you to undertake it. Please let me have it now. Only Allen will never do anything for himself that he can get any one else to do.”