"Well, I was laughing," chuckled the housekeeper, "because you came here in such a hurry at half-past nine to meet your father, who won't be here until eleven!"
Helene blushed.
"I suppose you think I'm an awfully silly girl?"
"Oh, dear, no!" Rose assured her with a grave little smile. "I'm only too glad to see that you and Raymond love each other."
The girl's face lit up with a quick little gleam of pleasure.
"Really, does that please you?" she asked softly.
"Very much!" nodded Rose. And the next moment the girl kissed her withered cheek.
"I brought the young man up, you know," she continued, slipping her arm affectionately around Helene's waist. "And I feel as if he belonged to me a little. I am very happy that he has made such a good choice."
"He is going to talk to his father about it this morning," said the girl, timidly. Rose smiled.
"I don't think he'll surprise him much."