“I doubt if you’re quite fair to Mrs. Crofton, Janet,” said Godfrey, in a singular tone.  “I fancy she really does care for Jack.  Of course it seems odd to all of us, but still, after all, odder things have been known!  If you ask me whether they will marry in the end—­that’s quite another matter.  If you ask me whether they’re engaged, well, yes, I’m inclined to think they are!”

Even Betty felt violently disturbed and astonished.

“Oh, Godfrey!” she exclaimed.  “D’you really think that?”

“I can’t tell you what makes me think so, or rather I’d rather not tell you.  But I don’t think you need worry, if you’ll only take a long view.  They can’t marry yet, and long before they could marry, she’ll have got tired of him, and fond of someone else.”

Betty gave him a quick look.  Was he really unconscious of the reason why
Mrs. Crofton had come to Beechfield?

Through her mind in a flash there crowded the many small, almost imperceptible, impressions made on her mind by the new tenant of The Trellis House.  Enid Crofton in love with Jack?  Betty shook her head.  The idea was absurd.  And yet Godfrey had spoken very decidedly just now.  But men, even very shrewd, intelligent men, are at a hopeless disadvantage when dealing with the type of woman to which Enid Crofton belonged.

As for Janet she exclaimed, with sudden passion, “I would give anything in this world to see Mrs. Crofton leave Beechfield for ever—­” She stopped abruptly, for at that moment the staircase door to her right burst open, and Timmy stepped down into the scullery.

CHAPTER XXVI

Since she had had the horrid accident which had laid her up, Timmy had not gone to see his old Nanna nearly as often as he ought to have done.  Nanna herself, however, with the natural cunning of those who love, had made certain rules which ensured her a regular, daily glimpse of the strange little being she had had under her charge, as she would have expressed it, “from the month.”  Nanna did not desire his attendance before breakfast for she would not have considered herself fit to be seen by him till she herself was neat and tidy.  Like all the women of her class and generation, the Tosswills’ old family nurse was full of self-respect, and also imbued with a stern sense of duty.  Timmy stood far more in awe of her than he did of his mother.

One of the stated times for Timmy’s visits to the old night nursery was just before he had to start for church each Sunday, and on this particular Sunday, the day after that on which had occurred Dolly’s engagement, and Mrs. Crofton’s return from London, he came in a few moments before he was expected, and began wandering about the room, doing nothing in particular.  At once Nanna divined that he had something on his mind about which he was longing, yet half afraid, to speak to her.  She said nothing, however, and at last it came out.