Presently Augusta and I found ourselves alone, for the boys the moment they saw her had taken precious good care to make themselves scarce. We walked on slowly.
“I should like to see your house,” said Augusta.
“You can if you wish to,” I replied.
I took her in, and the moment she got into the hall she began to sniff.
“What is the matter?” I asked.
“Books!” she said. “Old leather! How I envy that woman!”
“What woman?”
“That commonplace person who has dared to marry your father.”
“Oh well, Augusta, we had better not talk of that.”
“Not talk of it? Why, it’s a weight on my mind always. I only trust she won’t make him fall off. Rachel—Rachel Grant—you have a very solemn responsibility before you.”