Major Reid sat down in the chair which his son had just occupied, and immediately began to talk about the Heathcote girls.
“How different they are from others,” he said. “I have seldom seen any one quite—to my ideas—so beautiful as Florence.”
Then Colonel Arbuthnot said something which made Susie long to wear her grey barège in order that she might rustle the silk. He said gravely—
“Your son seems to agree with you, Major.”
“Ah!” said the Major. “Do you think so? Well, nothing could give me greater happiness.”
After that Susie got up to leave the room, but her father called her back.
“We have no secrets from you, Tabby,” he said.
Tabby was his favourite name for her, and she sat down again near his side.
“The fact is,” said the Major, “I want Mike to settle down, and I don’t believe that anything will do him real good, or bring out the best that is in him, like marriage. I think that Florence Heathcote would make him an admirable wife. Of course, he could not afford to marry without money, but as she has plenty, that would make no difficulty. I think, too, he would care for her for herself.”
“Oh, I know he would; he loves her dearly?” said romantic Susie. “Now that you have spoken, I will tell you a little incident. He came here on purpose last night, before any one else, in order to make sure that he was to take her in to dinner. I don’t mind confessing to you, Major Reid, that I had arranged differently; but after he had spoken of it, there was no help for me. I made the change quite easily—”