She was leaning to gaze into his face with loving look, and so did not see that everyone, but Corinne, sought some spot for view where eyes would not be encountered. Constable Marks, having no cause for moral sensitiveness, put his battered straw hat on and took it off again in punctilious greeting to the new arrival.
“Hi’m ’appy to welcome you ’ome, Sir. Hi’ll be goin’ along, now, to tell Mrs. Marks as ’ow Hi was almost the first to greet you. She halways ’as a ’ankerin’ to see me prominent.” He drew out his watch. “Nigh on my breakfast time.”
“Good day, sergeant,” Falcon called after him, good humouredly. Constable Halfred Marks grinned sheepishly and departed.
Presently Mabel gave words to the thought in everyone’s mind, but Mrs. Lee’s and Corinne’s. She said:
“And we’ve all got to live here knowing each other!”
“Won’t that be wholesome?” Falcon said cheerily.
Corinne could contain herself no longer.
“Oh Goody! Oh, to think the prince is going to stay in Roseborough! Prince Falcon! And, oh, Mrs. Lee, Mabel’s going to marry Mr. Howard—at last!”
“Oh, how glad I am!” Mrs. Lee embraced Mabel. “Two dear young people. Such an unselfish girl, always labouring for dear aunt Emma and Corinne. How often I’ve prayed, ‘May that sweet, unselfish girl get a good husband.’” She shook hands with Howard.
“I—I didn’t know anybody ever noticed me,” Mabel answered, with quivering lip.