’Then I am quite at liberty to give up the affair, acting as Cynthia’s proxy, if the squire disapproves of it?’

Poor Mrs. Gibson was in a strait at this question.

‘No!’ she said at last.  ’We cannot give it up.  I am sure Cynthia would not; especially if she thought others were acting for her.  And he really is very much in love.  I wish he were in Osborne’s place.’

‘Shall I tell you what I should do?’ said Mr. Gibson, in real earnest.  ’However it may have been brought about, here are two young people in love with each other.  One is as fine a young fellow as ever breathed; the other a very pretty, lively, agreeable girl.  The father of the young man must be told, and it is most likely he will bluster and oppose; for there is no doubt it is an imprudent affair as far as money goes.  But let them be steady and patient, and a better lot need await no young woman.  I only wish it were Molly’s good fortune to meet with such another.’

‘I will try for her; I will indeed,’ said Mrs. Gibson, relieved by his change of tone.

’No, don’t.  That’s one thing I forbid.  I’ll have no “trying” for Molly.’

’Well, don’t be angry, dear!  Do you know I was quite afraid you were going to lose your temper at one time!’

‘It would have been of no use!’ said he, gloomily, getting up as if to close the sitting.  His wife was only too glad to make her escape.  The conjugal interview had not been satisfactory to either.  Mr Gibson had been compelled to face and acknowledge the fact that the wife he had chosen had a very different standard of conduct to that which he had upheld all his life, and had hoped to have seen inculcated in his daughter.  He was more irritated than he chose to show; for there was so much of self-reproach in his irritation that he kept the feeling to himself, brooded over it, and allowed a feeling of suspicious dissatisfaction with his wife to grow up in his mind, which extended itself by-and-by to the innocent Cynthia, and caused his manner to both mother and daughter to assume a certain curt severity, which took the latter at any rate with extreme surprise.  But on the present occasion he followed his wife up to the drawing-room, and gravely congratulated the astonished Cynthia.

‘Has mamma told you?’ said she, shooting an indignant glance at her mother.  ’It is hardly an engagement; and we all pledged ourselves to keep it a secret, mamma among the rest!’

’But, my dearest Cynthia, you could not expect—­you could not have wished me to keep a secret from my husband?’ pleaded Mrs. Gibson.

‘No, perhaps not.  At any rate, sir,’ said Cynthia, turning towards him with graceful frankness, ’I am glad you should know it.  You have always been a most kind friend to me, and I daresay I should have told you myself, but I did not want it named; if you please, it must still be a secret.  In fact, it is hardly an engagement—­he’ (she blushed and sparkled a little at the euphuism, which implied that there was but one ‘he’ present in her thoughts at the moment) ’would not allow me to bind myself by any promise until his return!’