“Yes; quite all. Now I suppose that as I have done my duty I had better go away.”
“I wish to Heaven he would!” groaned Bottles to himself behind the curtains. He did not like his brother’s affectionate little ways or Madeline’s tolerance of them.
“Indeed, no; you had better sit down and talk to me—that is, if you have got nothing pleasanter to do.”
We can guess Sir Eustace’s prompt reply and Madeline’s smiling reception of the compliment, as she seated herself in a low chair—that same low chair she had occupied the day before.
“Now for it,” said Sir Eustace to himself. “I wonder how George is getting on?”
“My brother tells me that he came to see you yesterday,” he began.
“Yes,” she answered, smiling again, but wondering in her heart how much he had told him.
“Do you find him much changed?”
“Not much.”
“You used to be very fond of each other once, if I remember right?” said he.