"No, not really."
"Not anything?"
"Well, hardly anything." He was sitting near her, and now he leaned forward and whispered, "I asked her to be my wife, and she refused." It was not said, however, in the tone one would expect for such an unhappy message. Mrs. Norris looked at him curiously. "She said she couldn't answer me now, but as good as gave me permission to ask her again—and when a girl talks that way, isn't it as good as settled?"
It did look promising, certainly. But then, there was Henry. "What about Henry?" she asked. "How does he feel?"
"What has he to do with it?"
"Oh my, he has a lot to do with it. He's more than just a brother, you know. He's her father and mother."
"And aunt, maiden aunt, as well."
Mrs. Norris laughed. "Henry's to be reckoned with, though, just like Marshal Ney—or was it Cincinnatus? I never can remember."
"But, Mrs. Norris, what am I to do?"
"Why, you must just be very nice and thoughtful to Nancy and as decent as you can be to Henry, and pray the Good Lord will help you."