Frank kissed her cheek, and said, “There is nothing to forgive, Alice. It has been a cruel mistake, but none of us are to blame; it is all over now.” Then releasing her, he turned to Kate. “Kiss me, darling. Thank God all this is over, and we are all friends again. This is my uncle.”
“Will you kiss me, Katie?” the old man said, “I have been an old fool, but Frank has forgiven me. Will you forgive me, too?”
“Yes,” Kate said, kissing him frankly; “it is all over now.”
“It is left to you, Katie,” the old man said. “All our future is in your hands. Frank is my heir in any case; in any case he will have an income at once to live here, or wherever he chooses. It is for you to decide, Katie. Frank has left it entirely in your hands. Will you go out to Australia, and be happy in each other, or will you stay here and cheer an old man’s life?”
This time Kate gave a kiss without being asked, and said simply, “I always hated the thoughts of going out of England. If Frank really wishes to stay, I shall be very, very glad.”
And so it was settled. A short conversation only was necessary to arrange as to details. Captain Bradshaw himself proposed that as the things they had got could be of no possible use to them in England, it would be the best plan to divide them among the emigrants. The captain being called in, agreed to get them on deck during the voyage, to put them all up to auction, and divide the proceeds among the poorer emigrants. And then summoning the astonished and delighted Evan and Jane, the party—after a great hand-shaking, and many good wishes between Frank and Kate and their late fellow-voyagers—got into their boat, and, amid three hearty cheers from the emigrants, pulled for shore.
CHAPTER XVI
SQUARING ACCOUNTS.
It was a happy party which sat down to dinner that day at the Royal. Captain Bradshaw was delighted with his newly-found niece, and Kate on her part was no less pleased with the cheery, warm-hearted, kindly old Indian officer. So much did they take to each other that both Alice and Frank laughingly declared that they should be jealous. They had dined early, for Prescott’s business absolutely obliged him to go up by the mail train to London. For the present they had formed no plans; but it was arranged that at any rate for a fortnight they should go down to Torquay, where Prescott promised to join them in a few days. Frank walked with him down to the railway station and saw him off, and upon his return found his wife and Captain Bradshaw vying with each other in their praises of his friend. Alice was sitting by thoughtfully, with a flush upon her cheek.
“I do wish I could do something for him, Frank, but legal promotion is not in my line.”