"Father, Tom Selwyn is here with his mother,
and they can't find places, I almost know, and we might have two more
chairs easily at our table," he hurried it all out.
"What is all this about?" demanded old Mr. King; "whom are you talking
about, pray tell, Jasper?"
So Jasper ran around to his father's chair and explained. The end of it
all was, that he soon hurried off, being introduced to Tom's mother, to
whom he presented his father's compliments, and would she do him the
favour to join their party? And in ten minutes, every one felt well
acquainted with the English matron, and entirely forgot that she was an
earl's daughter. And Tom acquitted himself well, and got on famously
with old Mr. King.
But he didn't dare talk to Polly, but edged away whenever there was the
least chance of matters falling out so that he would have to.
And then it came out that the Selwyns thought of going to Munich and
down to Lucerne.
"And the Bernese Alps," put in Jasper, across the table. "How is that,
Tom, for an outing? Can't you do it?" For it transpired that Mrs.
Selwyn had left the other children, two girls and two smaller boys,
with their grandfather, on the English estate. They all called this
place home since the father was in a business in Australia that
required many long visits, and Tom's mother had decided that he should
have a bit of a vacation with her, so they had packed up and off,
taking in the Wagner festival first, and here they were.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193