Entering the parlour, he perceived almost with a shock that Mr Rimbolt was there. He had called in accidentally, and had just been told the news.
“My dear fellow,” said he, as he took his old librarian’s hand, “how we have longed for this day!”
Raby and her father were occupied with Forrester, and Jeffreys and his old employer were left undisturbed.
What they talked about I need not repeat. It chiefly had reference to Storr Alley and to Percy.
“He is down at Watford seeing a friend to-night. We expect him back to-morrow morning. How happy he will be! By the way,” added Mr Rimbolt, a moment afterwards, “now I remember, there is a train leaves Euston for Overstone at 12:30, half an hour after Percy’s train comes in. How should you like to meet him, and run down with him for a week or two to Wildtree? He sadly wants a change, and my books sadly want looking after there. You will have the place to yourselves, but perhaps you won’t mind that.”
Jeffreys flushed with pleasure at the proposal. It was the very programme he would have selected. But for a moment his face clouded, as he glanced towards Forrester.
“I don’t know whether I ought to leave him?”
“He is with his guardian, you know, and could not be in better quarters.”
“Then—you know I have—that is, you know—there are two—babies.”
Raby, however, when the question was subsequently discussed, expressed herself fully equal to the care of these promising infants until a home could be found for them; and Forrester, for his part, declared that Jeffreys must and should go to Wildtree.