Part 15 (2/2)

The question was Alison's, put with calm certainty. She and Geoffrey had stolen near, and were listening with eager faces.

”Oh, my darling, I'm afraid we can't,” said Mrs. Hunt tremulously.

”But the big girl says we can. When is we going?”

”Oh, Mother!” said Geoffrey, very low. ”Away from--_here_!” He caught her hand. ”Oh, say we're going, Mother--darling!”

”Of course she'll say it,” David Linton said. ”The only question is, how soon can you be ready?”

”Douglas is terribly proud,” Mrs. Hunt said. ”I am afraid I couldn't be proud. But he will never accept a favour. I know it would be no use to ask him.”

”Then we won't ask him,” said David Linton calmly. ”When does he leave the hospital?”

”This day week, if he is well enough.”

”Then we'll have you comfortably installed long before that. We won't tell him a thing about it: on the day he's to come out I'll go for him in the motor and whisk him down to Homewood before he realizes where he's going. Now, be sensible, Mrs. Hunt”--as she tried to speak.

”You know what his state is--how anxious you are: you told me all about it just now. Can you, in justice to him, refuse to come?--can you face bringing him back here?”

Geoffrey suddenly burst into sobs.

”Oh, don't Mother!” he choked. ”You know how he hates it.

And--trees, and gra.s.s, and woods, and----” He hid his face on her arm.

”An' tsickens,” said Alison. ”An' ackits to play in.”

”You're in a hopeless minority, you see, Mrs. Hunt,” said Mr. Linton.

”You'll have to give in.”

Mrs. Hunt put her arms round the two children who were pressing against her in their eagerness: whereupon Michael raised a wrathful howl and flung himself bodily upon them, ejaculating: ”Wants to be hugged, too!” Over the three heads the mother looked up at her visitors.

”Yes, I give in,” she said. ”I'm not brave enough not to. But I don't know what Douglas will say.”

”I'll attend to Douglas,” said Mr. Linton cheerfully. ”Now, how soon can you come?” He frowned severely. ”There's to be no question of house-cleaning here--I'll put in people to do that. You'll have your husband to nurse next week, and I won't have you tiring yourself out beforehand. So you have only to pack.”

”Look, Mrs. Hunt,” Norah was flushed with another brilliant idea.

”Let us take the babies down to-day--I'm sure they will come with me.

Then you and Eva will have nothing to do but pack up your things.”

”Oh, I couldn't----” Mrs. Hunt began.

”Ah yes, you could.” She turned to the children. ”Geoff, will you all come with my Daddy and me and get the cottage ready for Mother?”

Geoffrey hesitated.

”Would you come soon, Mother?”

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