I gave a sigh of relief. I had no wish that Reginald should seriously
compromise himself with a young lady who was a total stranger to me.
She renewed my uneasiness, however, by saying,
"Yes, only in imagination so far as an actual declaration is
concerned. But, my dear sir, the young people have settled it for
themselves, without consulting wiser and older heads than their own.
It is the way of young people."
She spoke rather quizzically, as though playing with me for an idle
gratification, and I told her as much. She instantly became serious,
and assured me that had she not approved of the more than liking that
Reginald and Miss Carew had for each other, she would have taken steps
to keep them apart.
"Then the mischief is done," I said.
"If you deem it mischief," was her reply. "Yes, it is done. The pair
are passionately in love with each other. But I am mistaken in my
opinion of them if they are not to be trusted. They will do nothing in
secret; when the affair becomes so serious as to render an open
declaration inevitable, they will consult those nearest to them, to
whom they owe a duty. In that respect I will answer for Mildred. You
should be able to answer for Reginald. Now that your eyes are opened,
invite his confidence. Speak to him frankly and lovingly, and he will
conceal nothing from you. I repeat, it would be an excellent match.
She is in every way worthy of him, and he is worthy of her. She is a
lady; her mother is a lady, and the personification of sweetness,
though I fancy sometimes she has a sorrow. But what human being is
perfectly happy? And Mildred's father is a gentleman."
"Are you well acquainted with him?" I asked.
"No, not well acquainted. There are few who can say that of him. He is
a man whose absolute friendship it would be hard to gain. All the more
precious, therefore, to him who wins the prize. It might be worth your
while to try, for Reginald's sake. Should his suit be accepted, an
intimacy between you and Mr. Carew is inevitable. You will find him a
man of rare acquirements. You have a leaning towards men and women who
think for themselves, and who have a vein of originality. Mr. Carew
being of this order, you will be naturally drawn to him. A not
inconsequential item in the programme is that he is wealthy, and that
Mildred is his only child. Mrs. Carew and Mildred have just entered
the room. I must go to them; follow me in a moment or two, and I will
introduce you."