'Papa, are you particularly busy? Might I interrupt you?'
'You have interrupted me,' said the colonel, letting his hand with the book sink to his side, and turning his face towards the speaker. But he said it with a smile, and looked with pleased attention for what was coming. His fair, graceful, dignified daughter was a constant source of pride and satisfaction to him, though he gave little account of the fact to himself, and made scarce any demonstration of it to her. He saw that she was fair beyond most women, and that she had that refined grace of carriage and manner which he valued as belonging to the highest breeding. There was never anything careless about Esther's appearance, or hasty about her movements, or anything that was not sweet as balm in her words and looks. As she stood there now before him, serious and purposeful, her head, which was set well back on her shoulders, carried so daintily, and the beautiful eyes intent with grave meaning amid their softness, Colonel Gainsborough's heart swelled in his bosom, for the delight he had in her.
'What is it?' he asked. 'What do you want to say to me? All goes well at school?'
'Oh yes, papa, as well as possible. It isn't that. But I am in a great puzzle about things at home.'
'Ah! What things?'
'Papa, we want more money, or we need to make less expenditure. I must consult you as to the which and the how.'
The colonel's face darkened. 'I see no necessity,' he answered.
'But I do, papa. I see it so clearly that I am forced to disturb you. I am very sorry, but I must. I am sure the time has come for us to take some decided measures. We cannot go on as we are going now.'
'I should like to ask, why not?'
'Because, papa—because the outlay and the income do not meet.'