‘There must be much in him,’ said Lady Kenton, ‘if only he is not spoilt!’
‘I am afraid he is heavily weighted,’ said Mr. Burford. ‘His brother’s widow and children are almost entirely dependent on him, more so, in my opinion, than he should have allowed.’
‘Exactly what I should expect from such a sheep,’ said George Kenton.
‘There is this advantage,’ said the lawyer, ‘it has prevented his marrying.’
‘At least that fatal step has been averted,’ said the lady, smiling.
‘But unluckily there is an entanglement, an endless engagement to a governess at Miss Lang’s.’
‘Oh,’ cried Freda, who once, during a long absence of the family abroad, had been disposed of at Miss Lang’s, ‘there was always a kind of whisper among us that Miss Marshall was engaged, though it was high treason to be supposed to know.’
‘Was that the one you called Creepmouse?’ asked her brother.
‘George, you should not bring up old misdeeds! She was a harmless old thing. I believe the tinies
were very fond of her, but we elders had not much to do with her, only we used to think her horridly particular.’