summoned at the Great House did not usually exceed twenty minutes,
and the upshot would be communicated to the girls in a turn or two
round the garden; but in the present instance Mrs Dale positively
declined to speak till she was seated within the house.

"Did he come over on purpose to see you, mamma?"

"Yes, my dear, I believe so. He wished to see you, too; but I asked
his permission to postpone that till after I had talked to you."

"To see me, mamma? About what?"

"To kiss you, and bid you love him; solely for that. He has not a
word to say to you that will vex you."

"Then I will kiss him, and love him, too."

"Yes, you will when I have told you all. I have promised him solemnly
to give up all idea of going to Guestwick. So that is over."

"Oh, oh! And we may begin to unpack at once? What an episode in one's
life!"

"We may certainly unpack, for I have pledged myself to him; and he is
to go into Guestwick himself and arrange about the lodgings."

"Does Hopkins know it?"

"I should think not yet."

"Nor Mrs Boyce! Mamma, I don't believe I shall be able to survive
this next week. We shall look such fools! I'll tell you what we'll
do;--it will be the only comfort I can have;--we'll go to work and
get everything back into its place before Bell comes home, so as to
surprise her."

"What! in two days?"

"Why not? I'll make Hopkins come and help, and then he'll not be so
bad. I'll begin at once and go to the blankets and beds, because I
can undo them myself."

"But I haven't half told you all; and, indeed, I don't know how to
make you understand what passed between us. He is very unhappy about
Bernard; Bernard has determined to go abroad, and may be away for
years."

"One can hardly blame a man for following up his profession."

"There was no blaming. He only said that it was very sad for him
that, in his old age, he should be left alone. This was before there
was any talk about our remaining. Indeed he seemed determined not
to ask that again as a favour. I could see that in his eye, and I
understood it from his tone. He went on to speak of you and Bell,
saying how well he loved you both; but that, unfortunately, his hopes
regarding you had not been fulfilled."

"Ah, but he shouldn't have had hopes of that sort."

"Listen, my dear, and I think that you will not feel angry with him.
He said that he felt his house had never been pleasant to you. Then
there followed words which I could not repeat,