“She seemed unwilling to leave me, and kissed me very tenderly when she went to bed.”
“I’m very glad, dear,” said Salis; “but I wish she would give up confining herself so to her room. It will grow into a habit.”
“Let us wait,” said Mary. “Yes, dear,” said Salis, looking sadly from the window as he dwelt upon the lives of his two sisters. “Time cures a great many ills.”
“Yes,” said Mary gravely. “What did Moredock want this morning?”
“Wine,” said Salis shortly. “And it’s my belief the old rascal can afford to buy it far better than I can.”
“And you gave him some?”
“No,” said Salis, with a droll look; “the last bottle in number one bin, of the four we stood up six weeks ago, went to poor Sally Drugate.”
“To be sure, yes,” said Mary. “She had two of the others, had she not?”
“Yes, dear,” said Salis, who was trying hard to get a hair out of his pen. “Old Mrs Soames had the other. By the way, Mary, oughtn’t we to have laid down that wine?”
“I believe wine drinkers do generally lay down wine,” said Mary, smiling. “But what difference does it make?”