Mrs. Lyon hesitated and pondered, and then answered:
“Yes, Alick. I can’t refuse you anything on the eve of a voyage. And I don’t see any harm in this—a good common school education——”
“Oh, mother, not that only; but the best—the very best—that can be got for her. See what a bright, intelligent, industrious little creature she is,” hastily interrupted Alexander.
“What! do you mean that she shall learn languages and music, and——”
—“Everything that a young lady is taught, mother. Everything that Anna knows. Why not? Think how small the cost, after all, to me; how great the good to her.”
“That is true, Alick. You are really a very noble-minded young man. I must say it, if you are my son.”
“Bosh, mother, begging your pardon, I’m nothing of the sort. But I like to do a good thing now and then.”
“And this will be a good thing for her. It will enable her to get her living as a governess.”
“Not a bit of it, mother; Heaven forbid that my child should ever become a governess, to be teased by stupid children and snubbed by insolent mammas.”
“Then I am afraid you and Anna will have to adopt her,” said the old lady drily.