“Does not mine become yours?”
“Not while—.” She paused and started afresh. “Raymond, could we not live at Swanslea, if it is bought for us?”
“Swanslea! Five miles off! Impossible.”
Cecil was silent.
“My dear Cecil,” he said, after a few moments’ consideration, “I can understand that you felt unfortunately crowded last year, but all that is over, and you must see that we are necessary to my mother, and that all my duties require me to live at home.”
“You could attend to the property from Swanslea.”
“The property indeed! I meant my mother!”
“She has Anne.”
“Anne will soon be in Africa—even if she were more of a companion. I am sorry it is a trial to you; for my proper place is clearly with my mother, the more in her helpless state, and with my brothers gone out into the world. Now that the numbers are smaller, you will find it much easier to take the part that I most earnestly wish should be yours.”
“I cannot get on with her.”