“Oh, no, I don’t. I only say to you, wait and see. I’m not going to promise anything, and I’m not going to have my comfortable home made miserable by seeing wife and child glum and ready to burst out crying. I’m not going to force that tender plant, Dan. Mary’s a sensible girl, and give her time and she’ll see that it is impossible for her to spend her life playing stick, or little dog, to a blind man. She shall see that her father wishes what is best for her, and in the end the pretty little fruit, which is only green now, will become ripe, and drop into some worthy young fellow’s hands. If his name is Daniel Barnett, well and good. We shall see. All I want is to see my pet go to a good home and be happy.”
Daniel Barnett held out his hand.
“No, no; I’m going to clinch no bargains, and I’m not going to be bothered about this any more. Your policy is to wait. The seed’s sown. I dare say it will come up some day. Now then, business. About Maitland Williams?”
“Well, Mr Ellis, you know him as well as I do. Admiral Morgan can’t give him a rise because the other men are all right, and he wants to be a step higher, and be all under glass. He has spoken to me twice. He says he wouldn’t have done so, only poor John Grange was of course out of it, and he didn’t think that we had any one who could be promoted.”
“That’s quite right. He has been to me three times, and I don’t see that we could do better. Think you could get on with him?”
“Oh, yes, he’s all right, sir.”
“Very well, then; I’m going up to the house to see the mistress about the hay. Nixon wants to buy it again this year.”
“And take all the mowing off our hands, sir?”
“Yes, I suppose you would rather not spare the men to make it ourselves.”
“Well, sir, you know the season as well as I do. There’s no end of things asking to be done.”