“I have no doubt you did the best you could,” said Raymond, speaking with more like censure of his mother than he had ever done since the hot days of his love for Camilla Vivian; “and you could have had nothing to do with the personalities that seem to have been the sting.”
Mrs. Poynsett, true boy-lover that she was, had been informed of the success of Tom’s naughtiness—not indeed till after it was over, when there was nothing to be done but to shake her head and laugh; and now she explained so that her son came to a better understanding of what had happened.
As to the extinguishing Women’s Rights in child’s play, he saw that it had been a wise manœuvre of his mother, to spare any appearance of dissension, while preventing what she disapproved and what might have injured his interests; but he was much annoyed with the De Lanceys for having clogged the measure with their own folly; and judging of cause by effect, he would hear of no excuse for Rosamond or her brothers, and went away resolved that though nothing should induce him to quarrel with Julius, yet he should tell him plainly that he must restrain his wife and her brothers from annoying Cecil by their practical jokes. He was, as usual, perfectly gentle to his mother, and thanked her for her arrangement. “It was not her fault that it had not turned out better,” he said; and he did not seem to hear her exoneration of Rosamond.
He had scarcely gone when Rosamond came in from the village, asking whether he had arrived, as she had seen his hat in the hall.
“Yes, Rosamond. You did not tell me of Cecil’s vexation!”
“Cecil? Have I seen her since? No, I remember now. But is she angry? Was it the dust-pan? Oh! Tom, Tom!”
“That and the Blockhead. Did Tom say anything very cutting?”
“Why it was an old stock charade they acted two years ago! I had better tell her so.”
“If you would it would be an immense relief, my dear. Raymond is very much annoyed; she says she will speak to nobody till she has had an apology.”
“Then she can be as great a goose as I! Why, the Yankee muse and Mrs. Duncombe took all in good part; but Cecil has not atom of fun in her. Don’t you think that was the gift the fairies left out at the christening of the all-endowed princess?”