Suddenly Victoria relented. She held out her hand impulsively. Her smile was warm and kind.
“You don’t mind my little joke, do you?”
“Not a bit. I brought it on myself.”
“If you want to know, I thought it was dear of you to remember the little girl away at school alone.” A faint shell pink beat into the clear satiny cheeks.
“I liked that little girl. She had a lot of git-up-an’-git.”
Vicky laughed. “She was a terror, if that’s what you mean. Always in mischief. Mollie will tell you that.”
“Yes, but she was a tender-hearted little cyclone,” smiled the older sister.
Scot came into the room. “ ’Lo, Hugh,” he said. “When’d you get back?” Without waiting for an answer he passed to the bed upon which were his wife and his firstborn. Lightly his hand caressed her soft hair. “Everything right, Mollie?”
Her eyes rested happily in his. “Everything in the world, Scot.”
“This nurse I got for you treating you proper?” With a motion of his head he indicated Victoria.