'You are a most disappointing young woman, Catherine!'
'As a companion, please, ma'am?' asked the culprit, who was genuinely amused by this description of herself.
'N-no; disappointing to your friends—to me especially, because I had set my heart upon seeing you reinstated in a position suited to you, either by your uncle or by your marriage.'
'My Brian does not please you?'
'You will not please him by this last folly.'
'He isn't a bit mercenary. You will see, he will approve my choice, when he has read the long letter I mean to write him before breakfast to-morrow morning. He will sympathise, too, with my great wish, which is that, with God's help, I may be able to act as peacemaker between my uncles.'
'Good gracious, child, I never contemplated that possibility!'
'Did you not? It will be a difficult task.'
'So I should imagine.'
'But if I could but do it, they would all be so much happier! Dear Uncle Jack frets about the quarrel; he is really attached to his brother. Uncle Ross is terribly lonely in his big house, with no one to love him. Then Agatha could have the care and nursing she needs.'