"Mamma says nobody can be married properly—before they're one and twenty. I knew it was rot," said Sarah, triumphantly.
"Miss Sarah retains the outspokenness of her recently discarded childhood, I perceive," said Sir Timothy, stiffly.
"Sarah!" said her mother, indignantly, "I said not unless they had their parents' consent. I was not thinking of Lady Mary, as you know very well."
"Your people didn't say you were too young to marry at seventeen, did they?" said Sarah, caressing Lady Mary's hand.
Lady Mary smiled at her, but shook her head. "You want to know too much, Sarah."
"Oh, I forgot," said Sarah the artless. "Sir Timothy was your guardian, so, of course, there was nobody to stop his marrying you if he liked. I suppose you had to do what he told you."
"Oh, Sarah, will you cease chattering?" cried her mother.
"I hope you have good news of your sons in South Africa, Mrs. Hewel," said the canon, briskly advancing to the rescue.
Mrs. Hewel's voice changed. "Thank you, canon; they were all right when we heard last. Tom is in Natal, so I feel happier about him; but Willie, of course, is in the thick of it all—and the news to-day—isn't reassuring."
"But you are proud of them both," said Lady Mary, softly. "Every mother must be proud to have sons able and willing to fight for their country."