"Granfer loves you so much, father darling, and I am sure you love him, don't you? Fancy Nellie and Bessie being my cousins! But I don't think I can care for them any more than I do now, because I am really very fond of both of them, and I'm sure I don't know which I like best!"
Una was full of excitement. After breakfast there was Nanny to be told the wonderful news, and to the little girl's great astonishment she discovered that her nurse was not so surprised as she had anticipated she would be.
"I have guessed your father was old Mr. Norris's son for some while now," Nanny confessed, "on account of different things I have heard Mrs. Maple say about her brother, and by putting two and two together. I am glad it has come out at last. Ah, Miss Una, this life is too short for folks who love each other to be angry long; we ought to learn to forgive and forget!"
"Granfer is not angry now!" Una said quickly, fearful lest Nanny should not have grasped that fact.
"I should think not! There, dear, I won't say a word against your grandfather, for I believe the good Lord has really softened his heart; even to my eyes, he doesn't look quite so grim as he used," and Nanny gave Una a kiss, adding gently, "God does everything for the best, my dear, and He makes all right in the end!"
At four o'clock the gig arrived from Lowercoombe Farm, driven by the farmer himself, and with the faithful Rags in attendance.
"I hope you are going to take kindly to your new uncle?" Mr. Maple said with a merry twinkle in his eye as he lifted Una in his arms to put her into the conveyance.
For answer the little girl clasped him tightly round the neck, and, after pressing a kiss on his bronzed cheek, answered promptly:
"Indeed, I love you very dearly already! You are so very kind!"
They drove off, Una seated between her father and the farmer, the latter amusing her with an account of how the tame lamb was daily growing bolder, so that they had great difficulty in keeping it out of the house.