“We are not going to have him very long,” said Harmony softly. “Peter is making him happy for a little while.”
Back in the salon of Maria Theresa she told the whole story. Mrs. Boyer found it very affecting. Harmony sat beside her on a stool and she kept her hand on the girl's shoulder. When the narrative reached Anna's going away, however, she took it away. From that point on she sat uncompromisingly rigid and listened.
“Then you mean to say,” she exploded when Harmony had finished, “that you intend to stay on here, just the two of you?”
“And Jimmy.”
“Bah! What has the child to do with it?”
“We will find some one to take Anna's place.”
“I doubt it. And until you do?”
“There is nothing wicked in what we are doing. Don't you see, Mrs. Boyer, I can't leave the boy.”
“Since Peter is so altruistic, let him hire a nurse.”
Bad as things were, Harmony smiled.