“What mistakes?”
These questions helped the embarrassed squire in his awkward explanations. Perhaps he drew them out for the purpose.
“For instance,” he replied, “you all took it for granted, when I married in Europe, that I had married a young lady who had never been married before.”
“Yes, of course,” replied the old skipper, while every one else listened in silent expectation.
“You never imagined that I had married a young widow.”
“Good Heaven! No!” exclaimed the old sailor, opening his eyes to their widest extent. “None of us ever could have dreamed of such a thing. So Mrs. Force was a widow when you married her?”
“Yes; the widow of the late Prince Luigi Saviola, of Naples.”
“Goo-oo-ood gracious! And you never let on a word about it to any of us!”
“There was no occasion. The way did not open to make such an announcement without apparent egotism,” replied the squire, discreetly, but not very convincingly.
“I confess I do not see where the egotism would have been,” said Miss Susannah Grandiere.