Now, as she sat and talked to David, the idea that it might be her duty to enlighten him presented itself to her mind afresh. A sudden and brilliant idea came into her head, and she immediately proceeded to act upon it.
“I had a special reason for wanting to see her,” she said. “I had a lovely box of things down from town on approval, and I wanted her to see them.”
“Things?” said David.
“Oh, clothes,” said Mary, with a wave of the hand. “You know they’ll send you anything now. By the way, I bought a present for Liz, though she doesn’t deserve it. Will you take it down to her? I’ll get it if you don’t mind waiting a minute.”
She was away for five minutes, and then returned with a small brown-paper parcel in her hand.
“You can open it when you get home,” she said. “Open it and show it to Liz, and see whether you like it. Tell her I sent it with my love.”
“Now there won’t be any more nonsense,” she told Edward.
Edward looked rather unhappy, but, warned by previous experience, said nothing.
David found Elizabeth in the dining-room. She was putting a large bunch of scarlet gladioli into a brown jug upon the mantelpiece.
“I’ve got a present for you,” said David.