“Oh, I don’t want to question him, but I want to get my bearings. On the mother’s side, the Cardew girls belong to the country. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes, yes, yes. Do come on.”
“But their father,” continued Maggie, “he is in trade, isn’t he?”
“He’s a perfect gentleman,” said Isabel stoutly; “no one looks down on trade in these days.”
“Of course not. I adore trade myself,” said Maggie. She now proceeded to walk very slowly up the avenue. She was evidently thinking hard. After a time she said, “I mean to get those girls to come to school with you, Molly, and with you, Isabel, in September.”
Both the Tristrams burst into a peal of merry laughter. “Oh Mags!” they cried, “we never did think before that you were conceited. You certainly overrate even your powers when you imagine that you will get Mr. Cardew to change his mind.”
“What do you mean by his changing his mind?” 17
“Why, this,” said Belle. “He has set his face from the very first against his girls leaving home. He wishes them to have a home education, and that alone.”
“Oh, that is all right,” said Maggie cheerfully. “Well, what will you bet, girls, that I have my way?”
“We don’t want you to lose, Maggie; but you certainly will not get your way in this particular.”