“I hope you’ll be able to manage it.”
“So do I. Poor father is in very low spirits at the prospect of meeting Mary, I think. You know we shall have to tell her everything.”
“Will you? Is it necessary?”
“Oh, yes. At least father says it is. If she were to hear of his story from any other source, he says he would never dare see her again. It will be far better to tell her. But I wish it was over.”
“So do I,” I said. “Poor Mary!”
I had got quite into the way of talking of her to Jack by her Christian name, as if she were my sister as well as his.
“I suppose,” said I, “she will still live with Mrs Shield at Packworth?”
“Oh, yes, for the present. There’s no place to bring her to in London till we get a little better off.”
“I hope that won’t be very long,” said I.
“I’m afraid father’s situation on the staff of the Banner is not a very—”