“Well, this is Mr. Everett Selden, Harold's uncle, who has come down from London to make us a little visit,” Margaret explained.
“Oh, dat's all right den!” favoring Mr. Selden with a benignant smile; “and—and now, Margaret. I came round to tell you dat dey are coming home on Saturday. We've had a letter from Dorothy dis morning, and dey sent me down to tell you.” (Margaret fortunately was considerate enough not to take the wind out of the little fellow's sails by informing him that they had had letters of their own that morning.) “And, Margaret, dey will get here in time for luncheon, and I would have a very good luncheon, Margaret, and everything all b'ight and shiny.”
“Just as you say, Master Albert,” making a little curtsey to this self-appointed master, and with difficulty restricting her emotions to a smile.
Meanwhile, Mr. Selden stood on one side immensely entertained, for he had previously had no idea that executive ability ever made a showing at quite such an early age.
“And now,” said Albert, free to turn his attention to less important matters, “did you open the door for me because you saw a little boy coming up the terrace?”
“Yes, that was the way of it,” Mr. Selden replied.
“But you did not know what little boy I was?”
“Oh, yes, I did; Marie-Celeste told me about you one day when I had a good talk with her in St. George's.”
“Elaine,” said Albert, turning abruptly to the French nurse, “I would like to talk to Harold's uncle, and I would like to stay to luncheon—I often stay to luncheon, don't I, Margaret?” Margaret's answer was that he often did, and Mr. Selden's assurance that nothing would give him greater pleasure at once settled the matter, and Elaine was compelled to return without her charge, but entrusted with the message to Albert's mamma that Mr. Selden would himself bring him home early in the afternoon.
“I remember that Marie-Celeste told me,” said Mr. Selden, placing a comfortable chair for Albert opposite his own, near the open window, “that you were very fond of a good talk now and then; and I'm very glad of that, because there isn't anything else that I could do to amuse you.”