The sisters breathed again. "So like his father!"
Their allegiance to Sir Timothy had been transferred to his heir.
"Your guardian approved," said Lady Mary.
She turned proudly away, but she could not keep the pain altogether out of her voice. Neither would she stoop to solicit Peter's approval before her rejoicing opponents.
"Mr. John Crewys is a very great connoisseur," said the canon. He taxed his memory for corroborative evidence, and brought out the result with honest pride. "I believe, curiously enough, that he spends most of his spare time at the British Museum."
Lady Mary's lip quivered with laughter in the midst of her very real distress and mortification.
But the argument appeared to the canon a most suitable one, and he was further encouraged by Peter's reception of it.
"If my guardian approves, I suppose it's all right," said the young man, with an effort. "My father left all that sort of thing in his hands, I understand, and he knew what he was doing. I say, where's that great vase of wax flowers that used to stand on the centre table under a glass shade?"
"Darling," said Lady Mary, "it jarred so with the whole scheme of decoration."
"I am taking care of that in my room, Peter," said Miss Crewys.