"They are going to shut up a wing of the Children's Hospital at Margate," he said; "this will just save it; that girl sets a shocking example, but I did my best——"
He was not yet happy, but, strange to say, he was somewhat comforted.
Toney walked into the Aldersfield drawing-room half an hour before the dressing bell. Lady Dove was listening to Miss Grossman's rather loud voice. The novel was dull, and she was glad to stop her. Usually Miss Grossman insisted on reading the whole hour before dinner without stopping or allowing her employer to talk.
"Oh, Aunt Dove, I've had a nice afternoon. I saw Mr. Staines and had a jolly tea at the Lyons' Restaurant. Uncle is coming back early to-morrow, but I knew you'd be dying to hear about our wedding."
"Mrs. Hamilton has been here and told me all. I'm sure, Toney, you must have wasted a great deal on flowers out of season."
"They did good all round, and Jeanie and Mr. Weston just seemed lifted up by them. So would you have been if you'd seen them."
"I never countenance useless waste," was the answer.
"Sentimentality is not sentiment," interposed Miss Grossman.
To herself Toney said, "Consider the lilies of the field how they grow;" aloud, she added, "Anyhow Miss Honoria agreed that Jeanie and Maud looked lovely!"
"Mrs. Hamilton really bored me about her daughters' perfections. I said I was sorry her son-in-law's escutcheon was a blank, but, of course, she is going to keep Maud in her own set. Lewis Waycott has as many quarterings as the Hamiltons."