"Nan, dear, you irritate him a good deal. Why do you talk in that silly way when you know he cannot bear it?"
"Because I'm Nan," answered the child, pouting her lips.
"But Nan can learn wisdom," said Hester, in her sweet elder-sisterly tone. "Even though you are the liveliest, merriest, dearest little girl in the world, and though it is delicious to have you back"—here there came an ecstatic hug—"you need not say things that you know will hurt. For instance, you are perfectly well aware that father does not like his age commented on."
"Oh, that," said Nan, some of the trouble which nurse's words had caused coming back to her eyes. "Oh, but I really said what I meant, then—it was not mischief. I was so glad to see that he is old. I love those wrinkles of his—I adore them."
"What can you mean, you queer little thing?"
"Why, you see, Hetty, he won't be attractive, and there'll be no fear."
"No fear of what?"
"Nurse said that perhaps he'd be having a wife, and giving us a stepmother."
"Oh, what nonsense!" said Hester, in a vexed tone. "What a silly thing for nurse to say. I am quite surprised at her. As far as I can tell our father has no intention of marrying again; but if he did?"
"If he did," repeated Nancy, "nurse says that you wouldn't be mistress of the Grange any longer."