"Indeed they will, Norman; though we did not finish our buying to-day. So many things are wanted for Christmas, you know."
"You will buy the rest on Thursday, will you not, Lucy?"
"Norman, how did you know?"
My brother's merry laugh disconcerted Lucy a little; but he became grave in a moment, and said:
"My darling, do I know your tender nature so little as not to guess that if it were impossible for you to remain at home to-day, it will be no less so on Thursday? Suppose, now, the worst were to come, and I were actually sentenced to imprisonment, would you wait for me, Lucy?"
Would she wait? Aye, a lifetime if need were; and though she did not say these words, her look was enough for Norman.
At the station I pointed triumphantly to a couple of bales containing pieces of red flannel for rheumatic old folk at Overford, striped shirting for working men, and sundry clothing materials for bestowal on families where the children were out of proportion to the income.
Norman poked holes in the papers to verify my list, and I added triumphantly, "There are blankets besides; but we shall not require your aid in seeing to our purchases, as they do not go to King's Court under our personal charge. They will be delivered at the house."
We were complimented on our marketing, and a hope expressed that our shopping might always be as expeditiously performed and to equally good purpose.
We bent in acknowledgment of the compliment, and then I was going to make some allusion to what had passed during the examination before the justices; but Norman stopped me.