“Ellie, the finery and flummery is to be done in Aunt Ellen’s dressing-room,” explained Babie; “but Essie is to sleep here with you to-night.”
Poor Ellie! her lip quivered at the thought that it was for the last time, and she said, bluntly—
“I didn’t want to have come! I hate it all!”
“It can’t be helped,” said Barbara.
“I can’t think how you and Aunt Carey could give in to it!”
“It was the real article, and no mistake,” said Babie.
“Yes; she is as silly about him as possible. A mere fine gentleman! Poor Bobus has more stuff in him than a dozen of him!”
“He is a real, honest, good fellow,” said Babie. “I’m sorry for Bobus, but I’ve known Cecil almost all my life, and I can’t have him abused. I do really believe that Essie will be happier with a simple-hearted fellow like him, than with a clever man like Bobus, who has places in his mind she could never reach up to, and lucky for her too,” half whispered Babie at the end.
“I thought you would have cared more for your own brother.”
“Remember, they all said it would have been wrong. Besides, Cecil has been always like my brother. You will like him when you know him.”