"She made the most of her delegated authority," remarked Edward gravely. "I was allowed no will of my own, till I had so entirely recovered from my injuries that she had no longer the shadow of an excuse for depriving me of my liberty."
"I thought it was a good lesson for him," retorted Zoe. "I've read somewhere that nobody is fit to rule who hasn't first learned to obey."
"Ah! but that I learned before I was a year old," said Edward, laughing.
"Nobody would have thought it, seeing the trouble I had to make you obey," said Zoe.
"Now, cousin Arthur, tell us all about Viamede, and what you did and saw there."
"It is a lovely place," he said. "I expected to be disappointed after the glowing accounts I had heard, but I feel like saying, 'The half has not been told me;'" and he plunged into an enthusiastic description of the mansion, its grounds, and the surrounding country.
"I was loath to leave it," he said in conclusion.
"And you make me more desirous to see it than ever," said Zoe.
"Oh, do tell us! had Capt. Raymond been heard from before you left? We have seen by the papers that the report of the loss of his vessel was untrue, and, of course, we were greatly relieved."
"Yes: letters came from him the day before I started for home.
Fortunately, they had been able to keep the report from Vi and little
Gracie; but May and Lulu had heard it, and were terribly distressed, I
was told."