“Daisy is not your child—you had better give her to me.”
“I can’t part with Flower; she is an excellent reader. I am a blind man, but she scarcely allows me to miss my eyes.”
Flower gave a low ecstatic sob.
“And you will allow her to part with valuable gems like this?”
“Thanks to you, Maria, she has recovered her diamond.”
“Andrew, I never met such an obstinate, such a misguided man! Are you really going to bring up these unfortunate children without a chaperon?”
“I think you must allow us to be good and naughty in our own way.”
“Father is looking very tired, Aunt Maria,” here whispered Polly.
“My dear, I am never going to fatigue him more. Andrew, I wash my hands of your affairs. Daisy, take your diamond. At least, my little precious dog, I have recovered you. We return to Bath by the next train.”