They found the good lady waiting for them in the drive in a characteristic glow and flutter.
'My dears, I have been looking out for you all the morning! I should have come over but for the stores coming, and a tiresome man from Randall's--I've had to bargain with him for a whole hour about taking back those sweets.

I was swindled, of course, but we should have died if we'd had to eat them up.

Well, now, my dears--' The vicar's wife paused.

Her square, short figure was between the two girls; she had an arm of each, and she looked significantly, from one to another, her gray curls, flapping across her face as she did so.
'Go on, Mrs.Thornburgh,' cried Rose.

'You make us quite nervous.' 'How do ypu like Mr.Elsmere ?' she inquired, solemnly.
'Very much,' said both, in chorus.
Mrs.Thornburgh surveyed Rose's smiling frankness with a little sigh.
Things were going grandly, but she could imagine a disposition of affairs which would have given her personally more pleasure.
'_How--would--you--like_--him for a brother-in-law ?' she inquired, beginning in a whisper, with slow emphasis, patting Rose's arm, and bringing out the last words with a rush.
'Agnes caught the twinkle in Rose's eye, but she answered for them both demurely.
'We have no objection to entertain the idea.