Christmas at Thompson Hall (18 page)

“He will never ask — unless at your instigation.”

“I will not speak to him,” she answered, — “not without telling you. I would never go behind your back. But whether he does it or not, I feel that it is in his heart to do it.” Then the brother came up and joined them in their walk, and told them of all the little plans he had in hand in reference to the garden. “You must wait till
she
comes, for that, George,” said his sister.

“Oh, yes; there must always be a she when another she is talking. But what will you say if I tell you there is to be a she?”

“Oh, George!”

“Your nose is going to be put out of joint, as far as Hallam Hall is concerned.” Then he told them all his love story, and so the afternoon was allowed to wear itself away till the dinner hour had nearly come.

“Just come in here, Wilfred,” he said to his brother-in-law when his sister had gone up to dress. “I have something I want to say to you before dinner.”

“All right,” said Wilfred. And as he got up to follow the master of the house, he told himself that after all his wife would prove herself too many for him.

“I don't know the least in the world what it was you were asking me to do yesterday.”

“It was a matter of no consequence,” said Wilfred, not able to avoid assuming an air of renewed injury.

“But I do know that I was cross,” said George Wade.

“After that,” said Wilfred, “everything is smooth between us. No man can expect anything more straightforward. I was a little hurt, but I know that I was a fool. Every man has a right to have his own ideas as to the use of his name.”

“But that will not suffice,” said George.

“Oh! yes it will.”

“Not for me,” repeated George. “I have brought myself to ask your pardon for refusing, and you should bring yourself to accept my offer to do it.”

“It was nothing. It was only because you were my brother-in-law, and therefore the nearest to me. The Turco-Egyptian New Waterworks Company simply requires somebody to assert that I am worth ten thousands pounds.”

“Let me do it, Wilfred,” said George Wade. “Nobody can know your circumstances better than I do. I have begged your pardon, and I think that you ought now in return to accept this at my hand.”

“All right,” said Wilfred Horton. “I will accept it at your hand.” And then he went away to dress. What took place up in the dressing-room need not here be told. But when Mrs. Horton came down to dinner the smile upon her face was a truer index of her heart than it had been in the morning.

“I have been very sorry for what took place last night,” said George afterwards in the drawing-room, feeling himself obliged, as it were, to make full confession and restitution before the assembled multitude, — which consisted, however, of his brother-in-law and his sister. “I have asked pardon, and have begged Wilfred to show his grace by accepting from me what I had before declined. I hope that he will not refuse me.”

“Not if I know it,” said Wilfred Horton.