She had told all the tale of the Hon. Charles
Russell and of her violent dismissal by her aunt, of which story they
were not entirely ignorant, for Lady Thompson had already advised them
of these events by letter.
The Reverend Septimus shook his head sadly. He was not a worldly-minded
man; still, to have a presumptive peer for a son-in-law, who would
doubtless also become an ambassador, was a prospect that at heart he
relinquished with regret. Also this young Arnott business seemed very
vague and unsatisfactory, and there were the other girls and their
future to be considered. No wonder, then, that he shook his kindly grey
head and looked somewhat depressed.
But his wife took another line.
"Septimus," she said, "in these matters a woman must judge by her own
heart, and you see Barbara is a woman now. Once, you remember, I had
to face something of the same sort, and I do not think, dear,
notwithstanding all our troubles, that either of us have regretted our
decision."
Then they both rose and solemnly kissed each other over Barbara's head.
CHAPTER V
WEDDED
Next day, oh! joy of joys, Barbara and Anthony met once more after some
fifteen months of separation. Anthony was now in his twenty-fourth
year, a fine young man with well-cut features, brown eyes and a pleasant
smile.
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