He pushed his partly mollified friend into his chair again, and taking a seat next him began to view the affair with enthusiasm. “'Melia shall turn young Nugent off tonight,” he said, firmly.
“That's right,” said the other; “go and do a few more silly things like that and we shall be 'appy. If you'd got a 'ead instead of wot you 'ave got, you wouldn't talk of giving the show away like that. Nobody must know or guess about anything until young Teddy is married to 'Melia and got the money.”
“It seems something like deceitfulness,” said Miss Kybird, who had been listening to the plans for her future with admirable composure.
“It's for Teddy's own sake,” said Nathan Smith. “Everybody knows 'e's half crazy after you.”
“I don't know that I don't like 'im best, even without the money,” said Miss Kybird, calmly. “Nobody could 'ave been more attentive than 'im. I believe that 'e'd marry me if 'e 'ad a hundred thousand, but it looks better your way.”
“Better all round,” said Nathan Smith, with at approving nod. “Now, Dan'l, 'op round to Teddy and whistle 'im back, and mind 'e's to keep it a dead secret on account o' trouble with young Nugent. D'ye twig?”
The admiring Mr. Kybird said that he was a wonder, and, in the discussion on ways and means which followed, sat listening with growing respect to the managing abilities both of his friend and his wife. Difficulties were only mentioned for the purpose of being satisfactorily solved, and he noticed with keen appreciation that the prospect of a ten thousand pound son-in-law was already adding to that lady's dignity. She sniffed haughtily as she spoke of “that Nugent lot”; and the manner in which she promised Mr. Smith that he should not lose by his services would have graced a duchess.
“I didn't expect to lose by it,” said the boarding-master, pointedly. “Come over and 'ave a glass at the Chequers, Dan, and then you can go along and see Teddy.”