"I've always heard that love was blind," he said, "but nowadays it seems to be water-proof, too. Look here, my dear: your aunt has been dropping a hint or two to me, and I congratulate you."
"On what?" asked Muriel, bristling into immediate rebellion.
Again Preston chuckled.
"Tut, tut!" he said: he always treated her as if she were the child that he had always maintained to his wife she was not. "You know well enough. He's a fine fellow and well-to-do. Even if we could afford to keep you on here indefinitely, which of course we can't, it would be a good job. Lucky girl!"
He went out after that and left his wife's niece free again to hide herself. But not entirely. Ethel, unable to resist her desire for finality, soon tapped at Muriel's door.
"Muriel!" she called.
For some time there was no answer, though Mrs. Newberry made sure that she heard sounds within the room.
"Muriel!"
"Yes. Who is there?"
"It's me—Aunt Ethel."