Whilst she was refreshing herself, she spoke again of Mr. Jollyman.
"Do you think I ought to have pressed him to stay, dear? I didn't feel sure."
"No, no, you were quite right not to do so," replied Bertha. "He of course understood that it was better for us to be alone."
"I thought he would. Really, for a grocer, he is so very gentlemanly."
"That's not surprising, mother."
"No, no; I'm always forgetting that he isn't a grocer by birth. I think, Bertha, it will only be right to ask him to come to tea some day before long."
Bertha reflected, a half-smile about her lips.
"Certainly," she said, "if you would like to."
"I really should. He was so very kind to me. And perhaps—what do you think?—ought we to invite him in his proper name?"
"No, I think not," answered Bertha, after a moment's reflection. "We are not supposed to know anything about that."