‘But when will you, mamma?’ laying a hand on her dress.
‘I don’t know. Go away now.’
He slowly obeyed, and as the door shut, she said, ‘There!’ in a tone as if her view was established.
‘You must send him to Fairmead,’ said the uncle.
‘To “terrify” Winifred? No, no, I know better than that; Gilbert can look after him. I don’t so much care about that.’
The admission was eagerly hailed, and objection after objection removed, and having recovered her good humour, she was candid, and owned how much she wished to go. ‘I really want to make acquaintance with William. I’ve never seen him since I came to my senses, and have only taken him on trust from you.’
‘I wish equally that he should see you,’ said her brother. ‘It would be good for him, and I doubt whether he has any conception what you are like.’
‘I’d better stay at home, to leave you and Edmund to depict for his benefit a model impossible idol—the normal woman.’
Maurice looked at her, and shook his head.
‘No—it would be rather—it and its young one, eh?’