“She must be an exemplary young person,” answered Mrs. Fitzherbert.
“Well?”
“They must be awful. I wonder if Winnie has thought of that.”
“By Jove!” cried the Canon.
The expression was not very clerical, but in his excitement he forgot the propriety of which he was usually careful. His mind was excessively alert, and Mrs. Fitzherbert’s reflections, spoken almost at haphazard, gave him in a flash the plan of action he wanted. In such a manner, though with vastly less rapidity, Sir Isaac Newton is said to have discovered the theory of gravitation. The Canon’s scheme was so bold that it surprised him. When he turned it over, and saw how dangerous it was, how unexpected, above all how ingeniously dramatic, he could not restrain his enthusiasm. The subtlety caught his sense of humour, and at the same time flattered his love for power. Apparently he would withdraw from the struggle, but all the time the various actors would work his will. It was well worth the risk, and he felt certain of ultimate victory. He laughed aloud, and jumping up, seized Mrs. Fitzherbert’s hands.
“What a wonderful woman you are! You’ve saved the whole situation.”
He looked at her with flaming eyes, and as she smiled upon him, he had never found her handsomer. He still held her hands.
“You know, you grow better looking each year you grow older. Upon my soul, it’s not fair to the rest of us.”
“Don’t be so foolish,” she laughed, trying to withdraw from his grasp.
“Why shouldn’t I hold them?” he cried gaily. “We’re old friends. Heaven knows how many years it is since first we met.”