Her eyes widened. “No, I——Why—why, yes!” She blushed, and laughed. “I beg your pardon! You must think me quite gooseish! The truth is—But if you are a friend of—of my husband’s, you must know what the truth is!”
He put forward a chair for her. “Er—yes! Wilfred Babbacombe, ma’am, entirely at your service! Beg you will accept my felicitations!”
She took the chair, but said, with one of her direct looks: “I think any friend of Captain Staple’s must deplore his marriage—in such haste, and upon such short acquaintance. I know that It was wrong of me to have consented!”
“No, no, not at all!” Mr. Babbacombe hastened to assure her. He reflected, and added: “Come to think of it, wouldn’t be Jack if he didn’t get married in some dashed odd fashion! Never knew such a fellow! Just the thing for him! Wish you both very happy!”
At that moment, the Captain came in from the office. “Bab, if you mean to stay to—Nell!” He strode forward, and she rose quickly to meet him, giving him her hands and her lips. “Sweetheart! But how is this? How have you come here? Have you been evading the toll again?”
“Yes, shall you report me? I left my horse in the spinney, and slipped in through the garden-gate.”
“I perceive I’ve married the most complete hand! And you found only this fribble here to welcome you! Bab, I must present you to my wife. Babbacombe, my love, is the man I was on my way to visit when I decided instead to become a gatekeeper. He arrived yesterday, trying to nose out my business, and stood guard here last night, whilst I was otherwise employed.”
“Already had the honour of making myself known to Mrs. Staple,” bowed Mr. Babbacombe. “Just wishing you both very happy! Feel bound to say I never saw a better matched pair! I won’t intrude on you: daresay you have much to say to each other!”
“No, pray don’t go away!” Nell said. “Indeed, I must only remain for a minute!”
“Your grandfather?” John said.