The Eldest Son Part 51

"Toby Dexter acted as sort of best man to Virginia," said Nancy.

"She's up in Yorkshire now, keeping the house warm for them."

The twins gave the rest of their news in alternate sentences.

"Cousin Humphrey gave Virginia away. He was very sweet, and made a lot of jokes afterwards."

"It was a very quiet wedding--at Blaythorn. Uncle Tom married them, and made several mistakes in the service. I suppose he was overcome.

Humphrey was d.i.c.k's best man. They hadn't been very good friends at one time, but they had made it up, and now they like each other very much."

"We only had relations staying here for the wedding, except Mr. Spence, d.i.c.k's friend, whose property he is looking after. He was such fun.

We simply loved him. He used to roar at all our jokes, especially at Nancy's rhapsodies, and we egged him on to make love to Miss Phipp."

"She was immensely flattered. She said he was a true gentleman, and when we told him we thought he'd have had a fit."

"He didn't really make love to her. He was too kind. He used to pay her a lot of attention, and asked her to teach him to spell."

"He wrote us a letter when he'd gone back and spelt appearance with one 'p.'"

"And other mistakes too. But we did adore him."

"Old Mr. Marsh was at the wedding. We _think_ he proposed to Toby Dexter afterwards, but she would never tell us. He drank too much champagne."

"Now Nancy you are not to say things like that," said Miss Bird, quite in her old authoritative manner.

Nancy embraced her warmly. "You're too sweet for words," she said.

"Uncle Herbert and Aunt Emmeline and Angela came. Angela is going to be married in June at Holy Trinity, Sloane Street, and we're to be bridesmaids; and to sweet Sue Clinton, too, at St. George's, Hanover Square. Our portraits will be in the papers, and we'll send you copies. We shall be much admired."

"Uncle Herbert was very angelic. He talked about Ibsen to Miss Phipp, and when she found out that he had been a Liberal member of Parliament she almost wept for joy. We didn't know she was a Radical before, but if Uncle Herbert was one, they can't be as bad as father makes out."

"She's a suffragette too, but she has never been able to answer father's question, 'Who would cook the dinner on polling-day?'"

"Well, she's answered it, but father won't listen to her."

"Aunt Laura is ill. We'll take you to see her to-morrow. She made us promise to."

"Oh dear Miss Clinton," broke in Miss Bird, "I do hope it is nothing serious."

"She's very old. She can't live much longer, I'm afraid. She remembers the Battle of Trafalgar, or the Crimean War--I forget which."

They talked for some time longer, and when Miss Bird went to her room to dress for dinner it was with a heart full of thankfulness to find herself still so much beloved, and with a lively curiosity as to what Virginia would be like when she should presently meet her.

She and the twins were together in the morning-room when d.i.c.k and Virginia arrived. While the twins were throwing themselves upon Virginia, d.i.c.k came forward grinning and gave her a resounding kiss on either cheek. "There, old lady," he said. "That's what you deserve and what you'll get from me now I'm married. Virginia, come and do likewise."

Miss Bird, once more, was overcome almost to the point of tears. "I'm sure this is a very happy day for me," she twittered, but could get no further.

"They're all happy days for all of us," said Virginia, who looked radiant, and not much older than her young sisters-in-law. "The twins are to bring you down to see me early to-morrow morning, when d.i.c.k is out. I want to hear all about him when he was a little boy, and I'm sure a very naughty one."

"Oh indeed," said Miss Bird; "he was high-spirited but as for naughtiness what I call real naughtiness no child could have been freer from it."

"If you think you're going to get anything against me out of Miss Bird, you may save yourself the trouble and enquire elsewhere," said d.i.c.k.

"She thinks there was never such a family as the Clintons, don't you, Starling?"

"I think they're rather nice too," said Virginia, with her hands on the shoulders of Joan and Nancy and her eyes on d.i.c.k.

The Squire coming in at this moment with Mrs. Clinton greeted Virginia as if she were his daughter, and it being on the stroke of eight immediately led her in to dinner. He was in the best of spirits, and talked and laughed, during the whole of the meal, in his old, rather boisterous fashion. Gone were the moody silences and the frowning perplexity of a few months back. He had not, apparently, a care in the world, and, with his healthy, rubicund visage, and active, though ma.s.sive form, looked as if he were prepared to enjoy the good things with which his life was filled for a further indefinite number of years.

There was only one little shadow of a cloud. As he got into bed that night, he said, "I'm very glad you asked old Miss Bird here, Nina.

She's a faithful old soul, and it does me good to see her about the place. She seems to belong to it, and it brings us back to where we were before all this infernal worry came to us."

"We are better off than we were then," said Mrs. Clinton, "for you were worrying about d.i.c.k getting married, and now his marriage has come about and you need worry over it no longer."

"Ah, yes," said the Squire. "I remember I did say something to you, and to him too, just before he sprang it on us--what was in his mind.

If I had known Virginia then it would have saved us months of bother.

I've never quite forgiven d.i.c.k for not introducing me to her at first.

I should have given way at once, of course. However, we needn't think about that now; but now this little chap of Walter's has come--I must go over and have a look at him to-morrow--it does make me wish that we were in the way of looking forward to a son of d.i.c.k's. I suppose, Nina----"

"There is plenty of time to hope for that," said Mrs. Clinton.

"I suppose there is, and we mustn't be impatient. Still, I shan't be quite easy in my mind about the succession until there are children at the dower-house. However, the matter is in higher hands than ours, and there's never failed an heir to Kencote yet. How long was Virginia married before?"

"Seven years, I think," said Mrs. Clinton.

"Ah, well, if the worst comes to the worst, there's a boy Clinton sleeping over at Mountfield now, and we must put up with our disappointment. Good-night, Nina. G.o.d bless you!"