"If only I had a child of my own," he thought, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
The weather was as fine this year as it had been last, and Denis and Kitty arrived all in due course, perfectly wild with rapture and enthusiasm. Then one day, quite unexpectedly, an outside car of the very shabbiest make was seen trundling down the avenue. From the car leaped a girl with flaxen hair and another girl with red hair, and the girl with flaxen hair flew at Uncle Pat and flung her arms round his neck and said, "Why, dad, dad, dear old dad! It is good to see you. Let's have a good hug. I'm Daisy, you know—called Dysy when I'm naughty—and this here is Henny-penny."
The girl with red hair was not as demonstrative as the flaxen-haired Daisy; her eyes had a cruel look in them, and her mouth was loose and ugly.
"I'm Henrietta Mostyn," she said. "I suppose you are my step-father."
"Yes, my dear; welcome to Templemore."
"What a rum old place," said Henrietta.
"Oh, we all love it very much, dear," said the Rector; "and I hope you'll both be good and happy while you are with us."
"Who is that boy?" asked Henrietta. "Quite a nice boy. What's his name?"
"I'm Dominic," replied Dominic O'Brien.