"Indeed! I was not aware that Rose was acquainted with Westerbury, or any one in it. Here she comes."
She had been standing outside the window, and came forward as he spoke. She had caught the sound of her own name, and wanted to know--as she had just before, in the drawing-room--why they were taking it in vain.
"Miss Beauclerc says you heard from Westerbury this morning."
"Well, so I did," cried Rose. "The letter was from Mary Carr. She is staying with some friends there: what's their name?--Mr. and Mrs. Travice Arkell."
"Ah, yes," said Mr. St. John. "I heard from Travice not long ago."
"Did he mention Lucy?" asked Georgina.
"He said Lucy had sent her love to me, and that that was all he could get out of her, for she was rapturously absorbed in her new toy, the baby."
"Mary Carr says you are to be its godfather," remarked Rose.
"Oh, are you?" cried Georgina. "Which is it--a boy or a girl?"
Mr. St. John considered, and then laughed. "I declare I don't know," he said; "it's one of the two. Travice told me, I think, but I forget. Knowing who the godmother is to be, I forgot all about the baby."