Once or twice he began to speak, but he stopped impatiently short without going on.'I don't know what to say to you,' he said at length.'You either can't or won't see what I mean.I am glad enough to have Cynthia here.I have given her a true welcome, and I sincerely hope she will find this house as much a home as my own daughter does.But for the future I must look out of my doors, and double-lock the approaches if I am so foolish as to -- However, that's past and gone; and it remains with me to prevent its recurrence as far as I can for the future.Now let us hear the present state of affairs.' 'I don't think I ought to tell you anything about it.It is a secret, just as much as your mysteries are.' 'Very well; you have told me enough for me to act upon, which I most certainly shall do.It was only the other day I promised the squire to let him know if I suspected anything - any love affair, or entanglement, much less an engagement, between either of his sons and our girls.' 'But this is not an engagement; he would not let it be so; if you would only listen to me, I could tell you all.Only I do hope you won't go and tell the squire and everybody.Cynthia did so beg that it might not be known.It is only my unfortunate frankness has led me into this scrape.
I never could keep a secret from those whom I love.' 'I must tell the squire.I shall not mention it to any one else.And do you quite think it was consistent with your general frankness to have overheard what you did, and never to have mentioned it to me? I could have told you then that Dr Nicholls' opinion was decidedly opposed to mine, and that he believed and believes that the disturbance about which I consulted him on Osborne's behalf was merely temporary.Dr Nicholls would tell you that Osborne is as likely as any man to live and marry and beget children.' If there was any skill used by Mr Gibson so to word this speech as to conceal his own opinion, Mrs Gibson was not sharp enough to find it out.She was dismayed, and Mr Gibson enjoyed her dismay; it restored him to something like his usual frame of mind.'Let us review this misfortune, for I see you consider it as such,' said he.'No, not quite a misfortune,' said she.'But certainly if I had known Dr Nicholls' opinion -- ' she hesitated.'You see the advantage of always consulting me,' he continued gravely.
'Here is Cynthia engaged -- ' 'Not engaged, I told you before.He would not allow it to be considered an engagement on her part.' 'Well, entangled in a love affair with a lad of three-and-twenty, with nothing beyond his fellowship and a chance of inheriting an encumbered estate; no profession even, abroad for two years, and I must go and tell his father all about it to-morrow.' 'Oh dear! Pray say that, if he dislikes it, he has only to express his opinion.' 'I don't think you can act without Cynthia in the affair.And if I am not mistaken, Cynthia will have a pretty stout will of her own on the subject.' 'Oh, I don't think she cares for him very much; she is not one to be always falling in love, and she does not take things very deeply to heart.But of course one would not do anything abruptly; two years' absence gives one plenty of time to turn oneself in.' 'But a little while ago we were threatened with consumption and an early death if Cynthia's affections were thwarted.' 'Oh, you dear creature, how you remember all my silly words! It might be, you know.Poor dear Mr Kirkpatrick was consumptive, and Cynthia may have inherited it, and a great sorrow might bring out the latent seeds.At times I am so fearful.But I dare say it is not probable, for I don't think she takes things very deeply to heart.' '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.
