“Oh, that terrible carriage!” said Rose.
“A very comfortable and convenient carriage I found it, many a time, when I was staying at Mrs Smith’s,” said Arthur, coolly. “Mrs Grove was so polite as to invite me to take a seat in it more than once, and much obliged I was to her, some of those warm August mornings.”
“So you see, Will,” said Charlie, triumphantly, “I was telling Harry the simple truth, and he was mean to accuse me of hinting ‘nonsense,’ as you call it.”
“I suppose that is what Mrs Gridley meant the other day when she nodded so significantly toward the Grove carriage, and asked whether she was to congratulate us.”
Rose spoke with a little hesitation. She was not sure that her brother would be quite pleased by Mrs Gridley’s congratulations, and he was not.
“Oh! if we are to have Mrs Gridley’s kind concern and interest in our affairs, we shall advance rapidly,” said he, a little crossly. “It would of course be very desirable to discuss our affairs with that prudent and charitable lady.”
“But as I did not suppose there was on that occasion any matters to discuss there was no discussion,” said Graeme, by no means unwilling that her brother should see that she was not pleased by his manner and tone to Rose.
“Oh! never mind, Graeme,” said Rose, laughing, “we shall have another chance of being congratulated, and I only hope Arthur may be here himself. Mrs Gridley was passing when the Grove carriage stood at our door this morning. I saw her while I was coming up the street. She will be here in a day or two to offer again her congratulations or her sympathy.”
“Was Mrs Grove here this morning?” enquired Arthur. “She must have given you her own message then, I suppose.”
“She was at the door, but she did not get in. I was out, and Graeme was busy, and sent her word that she was engaged.”