'Only a blue ribbon for Sunday.'
In a moment Wilmet had hurried to her own room, a rose-coloured snood was round the brown hair, and a little Maltese cross hung by another pair of rosy streamers round her neck.
'And a brooch, my dear. Haven't you one—what's in this box?'
'O Wilmet, I wanted to ask you about it. Willie would buy it for me at Paris!'
'How pretty! There, that will do nicely. Are you ready? John is quite eager for you, now he is at his best.'
So Robin, who meant to have put her question in a very different form, was hurried away, nid d'avis and all, and the next moment found herself in the sitting-room, where on a couch near the fire, but commanding a view from the window, lay, half sitting, her new brother, holding out both hands to draw her to receive his kiss of welcome. 'Well, Robin, quite recruited after the scarlet enemy? So you were dead beat yesterday!'
'O John, I did not mean to be so late!'
'You are beforehand with that lazy brother of mine, who tacked himself to your skirts. Just in time for déjeûner, a thing always going on here. Is the young Sahib awake, Zadok?' as the white figure with a brown face entered to lay the cloth, but it was at once followed by the young gentleman, exclaiming, 'Good morning, Wilmet; I beg your pardon—I'd no notion of the time.' Then coming to a sudden stand-still, 'Holloa, Jack!'
'Holloa, Bill,' replied John, imitating the tone, with a smile. 'How's my father?'
'As—as usual! But, Jack, old fellow, how—how small you look?' said Will, shocked and overcome into small choice of words, as he stood with a frown of dismay on his face.