’I was going to have asked for a longer visit the next time you came, Mr. Gibson.  We are such happy friends, are not we, Molly? and now that this good little nephew of Miss Eyre’s——­’

‘I wished he was whipped,’ said Mr. Gibson.

’—­has given us such a capital reason, I shall keep Molly for a real long visitation.  You must come over and see us very often.  There’s a room here for you always, you know; and I don’t see why you should not start on your rounds from Hamley every morning, just as well as from Hollingford.’

’Thank you.  If you had not been so kind to my little girl, I might be tempted to say something rude in answer to your last speech.’

‘Pray say it.  You won’t be easy till you have given it out, I know.’

‘Mrs. Hamley has found out from whom I get my rudeness,’ said Molly, triumphantly.  ‘It’s an hereditary quality.’

’I was going to say that proposal of yours that I should sleep at Hamley was just like a woman’s idea—­all kindness, and no common sense.  How in the world would my patients find me out, seven miles from my accustomed place?  They’d be sure to send for some other doctor, and I should be ruined in a month.’

‘Could not they send on here?  A messenger costs very little.’

’Fancy old Goody Henbury struggling up to my surgery, groaning at every step, and then being told to just step on seven miles farther!  Or take the other end of society:—­I don’t think my Lady Cumnor’s smart groom would thank me for having to ride on to Hamley every time his mistress wants me.’

’Well, well, I submit.  I am a woman.  Molly, thou art a woman!  Go and order some strawberries and cream for this father of yours.  Such humble offices fall within the province of women.  Strawberries and cream are all kindness and no common sense, for they’ll give him a horrid fit of indigestion.’

‘Please speak for yourself, Mrs. Hamley,’ said Molly, merrily.  ’I ate—­ oh, such a great basketful yesterday, and the squire went himself to the dairy and brought me out a great bowl of cream when he found me at my busy work.  And I’m as well as ever I was, to-day, and never had a touch of indigestion near me.’

‘She’s a good girl,’ said her father, when she had danced out of hearing.  The words were not quite an inquiry, he was so certain of his answer.  There was a mixture of tenderness and trust in his eyes, as he awaited the reply, which came in a moment.

’She’s a darling!  I cannot tell you how fond the squire and I are of her; both of us.  I am so delighted to think she is not to go away for a long time.  The first thing I thought of this morning when I wakened up, was that she would soon have to return to you, unless I could persuade you into leaving her with me a little longer.  And now she must stay—­ oh, two months at least.’