“And I have had a letter from Aunt Margaret, and so has Tom,” said Grace, “and she is quite pleased with our engagement.  She says she knows that as Tom has raised himself so far by his own industry and abilities, helped by the education his good aunt gave to him, that there is no fear of his ever falling; and she said Tom’s letter to her is the best thing of the kind she ever read.”

“Mrs. Hogarth taught him to write letters,” said Peggy; “and really when he reads out anything to me that he has written, it reads like a printed book.  As for Miss Thomson’s own letter, it deserves to be printed in letters of gold; but mind, you young folk, not to be overmuch set up about being married, and all your friends being so satisfied.  It is a great good Providence that you have happened so well; but all folk have not your good luck.  You must not look down on your sister Mary—­who is the best of the whole bunch of you, I reckon—­because she is six years older than you and not married yet.”

“Oh, auntie!” said Grace,—­“with such a maiden aunt as I have, and such a maiden aunt as Tom has, you never could dream of my looking down on old maids, or fancying I can be compared to Mary.”

“Bravo!  Mrs. Lowrie,” said Brandon; “I wish I could find any one good enough for Miss Forrester, but I cannot.”

“Mr. Sinclair cannot comprehend my going off before Mary.  He says, if he does not hear news of her in two years’ time, he must come to Australia for her himself,” said Grace.

“There is likely to be another wedding ere long, at Wiriwilta, however,” said Brandon.

“Emily,” said Peggy, “Grace was getting word of it from her sister.  She’s young yet.”

“So she is, and so is Edgar; but it is a settled thing.  A year’s engagement—­or something of that sort.  Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have consented very handsomely, but Mrs. Grant thinks that, with Emily’s beauty and education (for Miss Forrester has certainly brought her on wonderfully), she should make a better marriage.”

“But, for my part, Frank,” said Brandon, addressing his brother-in-law.  “I do like to see young people falling in love in this natural way, and willing to begin life not just as their fathers leave off.  I talked to Emily like a father, and told her what she could expect until they worked for it; and she gave me a kiss, and said that she knew quite well that she could not have everything just as it was at Wiriwilta, but if there was twice as much to give up she would do it; for, as she said very charmingly, ’I am very fond of Edgar, and Edgar is very fond of me.’  To see people beginning life in a love-marriage so young as the happy pair in company, or even younger, as in the case of Edgar and Emily, is very refreshing to old fogies like you and me, Frank, who began our married life a good deal on the wrong side of thirty, and whose eldest children look out for white hairs in our heads.  The only consolation I have for not being happy younger is, that if I had married before I should have married some one else, and that would never have done.  Elsie might have taken me a year before she did, however.  I have never quite forgiven her.”