"Papa doesn't care what he has, if it's only ready. He would take
bread-and-cheese, if cook would only send it in instead of dinner."
"Bread-and-cheese! Does Mr. Gibson eat cheese?"
"Yes; he's very fond of it," said Molly, innocently. "I've known
him eat toasted cheese when he has been too tired to fancy anything
else."
"Oh! but, my dear, we must change all that. I shouldn't like to
think of your father eating cheese; it's such a strong-smelling,
coarse kind of thing. We must get him a cook who can toss him up an
omelette, or something elegant. Cheese is only fit for the kitchen."
"Papa is very fond of it," persevered Molly.
"Oh! but we will cure him of that. I couldn't bear the smell of
cheese; and I'm sure he would be sorry to annoy me."
Molly was silent; it did not do, she found, to be too minute in
telling about her father's likes or dislikes. She had better leave
them for Mrs. Kirkpatrick to find out for herself. It was an awkward
pause; each was trying to find something agreeable to say. Molly
spoke at length. "Please! I should so like to know something about
Cynthia--your daughter."
"Yes, call her Cynthia. It's a pretty name, isn't it? Cynthia
Kirkpatrick. Not so pretty, though, as my old name, Hyacinth Clare.
People used to say it suited me so well. I must show you an acrostic
that a gentleman--he was a lieutenant in the 53rd--made upon it. Oh!
we shall have a great deal to say to each other, I foresee!"
"But about Cynthia?"
"Oh, yes! about dear Cynthia. What do you want to know, my dear?"
"Papa said she was to live with us! When will she come?"
"Oh, was it not sweet of your kind father? I thought of nothing
else but Cynthia's going out as a governess when she had completed
her education; she has been brought up for it, and has had great
advantages. But good dear Mr. Gibson wouldn't hear of it. He said
yesterday that she must come and live with us when she left school."
"When will she leave school?"
"She went for two years. I don't think I must let her leave before
next summer. She teaches English as well as learning French. Next
summer she shall come home, and then shan't we be a happy little
quartette?"
"I hope so," said Molly. "But she is to come to the wedding, isn't
she?" she went on timidly, not knowing how far Mrs. Kirkpatrick would
like the allusion to her marriage.
"Your father has begged for her to come; but we must think about it a
little more before quite fixing it. The journey is a great expense!"