Both she and Lucian congratulated Felix Menebees.
“Thank you very much,” said the youth, in a dazed way. “It was a great surprise to me. It was very good of him.”
Long afterwards he said to the doctor: “I wish Mr. Cecil had had it, doctor—I do indeed.”
“I know what you mean, Felix, but you know Cecil Aviolet will be a rich man one of these days. He’ll be glad that you’ve got some recognition of your loyal service to the old man.”
“It’s a fortune, you know,” Felix said simply. “I’ve no parents, and I’m not clever. I should never have had any money at all, except I earned it, and I’m not clever or strong or educated, to be fit for much.”
“It’s not too late, with this money behind you, to do something in the way of training. What do you fancy?”
Felix gave a curious, shy smile. “I’m going to learn to drive a car, first thing. I’ve arranged about the lessons already.”
“Why, Felix?”
“So as to get to the war. I want to drive a field ambulance.”
The doctor was silent from sheer astonishment.