She stepped in and was a little surprised to find the three already there standing in a group together.
It was Harold who explained.
“Congratulate me, sister; I have got leave to claim my bride as soon as she can make ready for the important step.”
“Ah? Oh, I am glad, for you richly deserve it for what you have done for our precious little Ned.”
“Thank you, sister,” Harold said with emotion, “but give God the praise. I could have done nothing had He not blessed the means used.”
“True; and my heart is full of gratitude to Him.” Then, turning to Grace: “I am very, very glad for Harold to be, and feel that he is, rewarded, but, oh, how shall I ever do without you—the dearest of dear girls?”
“I have not yet consented to her departure from her father’s house,” said the captain, turning a proud, fond look upon his daughter, “but have stipulated that we are to have them here in this house for at least a year; then in another to be built upon this estate—if they wish to leave us.”
“Oh, I like that!” exclaimed Violet. “It removes all objections—except with regard to the mixture of relationships,” she added with a slight laugh. “But I am forgetting my errand. Ned is awake and asking hungrily for his father and his doctor.”
“Then we must go to him at once,” said both gentlemen, Grace adding:
“And I, too, if I may, for surely he would not object to seeing his sister also.”