“Don’t any of the young women get married in these parts. What about the Clibran-Bells?”
“Oh! Jessie is in love with Frederic, always has been ever since he turned up.”
“How long’s that?”
“A good many years. It was awful when we first came. We arrived at five o’clock in the morning. It was pouring with rain, and we drove in two cabs through the horrible dirty streets. We were all very tired, and Gertrude and Mary had been squabbling in the train. We didn’t know anything about towns, and Ma had made us very excited by talking about the rich people we were going to know—and marry. She always used to be talking about marriage. She doesn’t do it so much now.”
“Why on earth did they come? St. Withans was jolly enough.”
“I don’t know. I think they lost some money, and Ma got sick of the country and Mother Bub got tired of falling in love with the curates, and they worried pa until he did it.”
“Does he always do what mother wants him to?”
“Oh! yes. She’s a nagger.”
Serge went up to Minna and put his arm round her waist and kissed her. She took his face in her hands and kissed his lips. Then she sighed:
“What a pity you’re my brother.”