"We will go into the rose-garden," I said. "Many years before you were born, dear Phyllida, another girl stood there with the man who loved her more than any one in the world. May you be at least not less happy than she has been!" ...
Then I returned to the house. Hilary had collected most of the party, and I whispered to him that he would find Phyllida by the sun-dial... I am not so well used to praise from my occasionally critical relations that I can afford to treat it lightly; Spenworth was good enough to propose three cheers for me when he heard of my childishly simple little stratagem for letting the young people meet unlistened to, unspied on...
"And now had not the rest of us better go to bed?," I suggested to Ruth. "If all is as we hope, you and Brackenbury would sooner not be embarrassed by our presence."
Poor Ruth is consistent in one thing: she never shews any instinct for arranging or managing. It is perhaps not to be expected that she should take to it by the light of nature, but one would have thought that the first ambition of any woman who had been transported from one milieu to another would have been to learn... She is in a position of authority...
When they had all separated to their rooms, I once more set out... Will, I think, had guessed; and I have never seen any one more delighted.
"I knew the fellow would turn up," he said, "but I couldn't make poor little Phyl see it. I suppose she thought he must have killed himself on the road. Just as well he didn't, because I believe she's quite fond of him. I should think they'd get on quite well together, though of course she's not everybody's money."
I explained to him that every one had gone to bed, but here he was quite immovable.
"I want to be the first to congratulate them," he said.
Which I thought was handsome, when you remember how Phyllida threw herself at his head.
They are to be married as soon as Hilary's company has been formed. He is very anxious that Arthur should join the board, but I am not sure that it is wise to undertake too many enterprises. One is always reluctant to refuse what is really a tempting offer—on a small scale—, but there are only twenty-four hours in the day...