She beamed on them with radiant triumph.
"What?" exclaimed Ben.
"The seaside home," she said. "We'll have the seaside home after all. Not for blinded soldiers—they shall be dealt with all right, Mr. St. Quentin, never fear!—but for poor working girls who need change and rest from London and can't afford it. Oh, how happy I am! I did so want that seaside home and now I've got it. Your poor girl can't go there this time because it won't be ready; but will you see about it at once, my dear? I leave the whole thing to you. You can build a new house or you can take an old house and adapt it. I'll have all the papers made out by my lawyer at once. And we'll call it the 'Adrian Vicat Seaside Home.' Will you do it?"
"Of course I will," said Ben.
"And you'll find out all about the other things?" Mrs. Vicat inquired of Patrick.
"At once," he said.
"I'm so happy," exclaimed Mrs. Vicat again. "Now my mind is perfectly at rest."
She went away in tearful content and Dolly was summoned to assist her again to the car and to receive the usual guerdon.
"Thank you," said Ben to Patrick. "You were splendid. I think we may call this a truly red-letter day. It's all most inspiring; but one thing in particular gives me enormous satisfaction."
"And that?" Patrick asked.