CHAPTER V

“The liberal soul shall be made fat.”—­The Bible.

“Well! well! well!”

Sir Jonathan walked over to the child and knelt down beside her as the maid rose and straightened her crumpled apron.

“Let me have the doggie, darling!”

“No!—­no!—­no!  I—­I love him.  He’s all soft and cuddley.  I want to hold him for jus’ a little, little longer!”

The child’s voice was shrill with excitement as she pulled back from the encircling arms, her lips quivering, her eyes staring distractedly first at the younger man then at the dog.

“Would you like to have Jingles, kiddie?”

The change in the child’s face was electrifying, and Sir Jonathan, rising with his eyes fixed upon her, touched his son’s arm to draw his attention to it.

Tears like dewdrops on brown pansy petals hung heavily from the lashes, but the corners of the mouth turned up in an adorable smile, and waves of gratitude and delight swept up from chin to brow obliterating the agony of the past hours.

“For me—­to keep?” she whispered, as she stood on her toes in an instinctive effort to make the body reach and unite with the mind at the highest point of this most perfect moment, whilst her little breast heaved with the repressed sobs of her fully laden heart.

“Yes! for keeps, little one!”

The three elders stood silently, the specialist watching intently the light which kindled in the child’s eyes as she looked from one to the other before she bent her head over the dog she had completely surrounded with her arms.

Jan Cuxson made a movement to end a situation which was bordering on cruelty when Lady Hetth anticipated him with her customary dire tactlessness.

“There now, Leonie! Now perhaps you’ll be satisfied.  Give Mr. Cuxson a kiss and say thank you nicely!”

Leonie would have cheerfully put her hand in the fire to serve this wonderful being who royally distributed gifts, and live ones at that, and only hesitated for the barest fraction of a second before, her face suffused with crimson, she walked up to him.

“Of course if—­if you want me to—­I’ll—­I’ll kiss you,” she said heroically, unconsciously squeezing the puppy under the stress of the awful moment until it yelped, “but I’d—­I’d wather——­” She stopped and looked up hurriedly into the understanding face of the elder man.

He nodded as he caught her eye so that she finished all in a hopeful burst.

“But I’d wather not if you don’t mind!”

Lady Hetth frowned and put out her hand, murmuring something about really having to go.

“I’ll send for her and Nannie, Lady Hetth.  And keep her out of doors as much as possible.  Why don’t you take her to the Zoo this afternoon?”

“I couldn’t possibly!” came the prompt and irritable reply.