“I was going to say unless there should be any one she likes better, but there can’t be, or she would not have allowed him to remain with them. No, no, it is going to be the romance of the year. Lucky Millie, to have been let into it!”
She looked at her enviously. Millie laughed and feared she had not sufficiently recognised the romance when face to face with it. Fanny’s questions were not at an end.
“The first meeting! That would have told one, that would have been delightful to see. Where was it?”
Millie hesitated, but not even to her friend would she relate what had actually happened.
“I believe he met her as she landed. She missed the steamer, and had to follow in a boat.”
“Alone?”
“No. Mr Wareham was luckily with her. The Mr Wareham.”
“Oh, and Hugh Forbes’ friend. That explains. Of course he had something to do with bringing them together again. I could not think how it had been managed, and, my clear, your stories always wanted detail. When it was your turn to tell one, do you recollect how invariably I had to come to the rescue?” She kissed her. “But it’s a blessing to see your dear little face again. If I’d stayed on at Miss Burton’s, she’d soon have had me in the corner. And now that I’m here, I’ll forgive Milborough. At least, I’ll forgive him if he falls in with all your people, and brings home a report of how things are going with Miss Dalrymple and Hugh Forbes. He’s such a dear boy!”
“Lord Milborough?”
“Hugh Forbes. It’s unselfish of me to wish him to marry her, but I do.”