‘To be sure,’ said Mr. Faulkner. ‘What did you think she was doing?’
‘I thought she was going to dances and—dinner-parties,’ stammered Emmeline.
‘So she did sometimes,’ said Mr. Faulkner, calmly; ‘it was at a dinner-party that I first met her.’
The walkers came in a moment afterwards, and the twins pounced on Mr. Faulkner with acclamation. ‘Mr. Faulkner, is it true that Diamond Jubilee’s school reports will be sent to us just like people’s reports are sent to their real parents?’ demanded Micky.
‘Yes, you’ll be duly informed twice a year of the number of marks he gets for arithmetic and what we think of his temper,’ Mr. Faulkner assured him.
Micky bounded into the air. ‘I’m jolly glad we settled on having him instead of the donkey!’ he announced.
‘I do wish we were going to see him all the year round instead of only just at the summer holidays,’ remarked Kitty. ‘I’m sure Punch will miss him dreadfully. He always hates it when people go away.’
‘Well, it’s a great castle in the air of mine that some day things will work out so that you do see him all the year round,’ said Mr. Faulkner, glancing at Aunt Grace, who had turned rather rosier than usual.
‘But that would only be if we lived in the same place as the Home and you,’ said Kitty, ‘and that’s much too jolly ever to come true.’