“All stepfathers are alike; and they’re beastly!” cried Erebus.
“Now, it’s no good your getting yourself obstinate about it,” said the Terror firmly. “That won’t be of any use at all, if they’ve made up their minds. But what’s bothering me is what that old cat meant by saying that the Morgans were rovers.”
Erebus’ frown deepened as she knitted her brow over the cryptic utterance of Mrs. Blenkinsop. Then she said in a tone of considerable relief:
“She must have meant that he wasn’t really in earnest about marrying Mum.”
“Yes, that’s what she did mean,” growled the Terror. “And she’ll go about telling everybody that he’s only fooling.”
“But I don’t think he is. I don’t think he would,” said Erebus quickly.
“No more do I,” said the Terror.
They walked nearly fifty yards in silence. Then the Terror’s face cleared and brightened; and he said cheerfully:
“I know the thing to do! I’ll go and ask him his intentions. That’s what people said old Hawley ought to have done when the Cut—you know: that fellow from Rowington—was fooling about with Miss Hawley.”
“All right, we’ll go and ask him,” said Erebus with equal cheerfulness.