“Oh! she would miss us, I daresay. But I don’t think we are absolutely necessary to her happiness.”
“Of course, she will have to lose you one of these days. We cannot expect that you will devote yourself to your brothers always, I know.”
“Especially as they don’t stand in particular need of my devotion,” said Graeme stiffly, as she offered her arm to Mrs Snow. “Let us walk, again. What can Will and the children be doing? Something extraordinary, if one may judge by the noise.”
Mrs Grove rose to go with them, but lingered a moment behind to remark to Mr Snow on the exceeding loveliness of Miss Elliott’s disposition and character, her great superiority to young ladies in general, and especially on the devotion so apparent in all her intercourse with her old friend.
“And with you, too,” she added; “I scarcely can say which she honours most, or on which she most relies for counsel.”
“There,” said she to herself, as she followed the others down the walk, “I have given him an opening, if he only has the sense to use it. One can see what he wants easily enough, and if he knows what is for his advantage he will get the good word of his countryman, and he ought to thank me for the chance.”
Chapter Thirty Four.
Why Mrs Grove thought Mr Green might need an opening for anything he had to say to Mr Snow did not appear, as he did not avail himself of it. It was Mr Snow who spoke first, after a short silence.