Shortly after the happy pair came back from their honeymoon to the parsonage, Lady Inskip made a proposition, which by dint of judicious manoeuvring she managed to carry into operation. Now that her eldest daughter was married, and Carry, "the bold, ungrateful girl," had left her in that scandalous manner, there was no need for her to keep up any longer a special establishment as she had formerly done. She only had her darling boy, Mortimer, now to care for, and Laburnum Cottage would be too big for herself and him only. She suggested to her dear, kind, clever son-in-law what she would do. She would give up the cottage--her time would be out on Lady-day, and it did not want such a very long time now to that date, and come and live at the parsonage with her affectionate children. Nothing could be better! Of course she would insist on paying her share of the housekeeping expenses; but then she did eat so very little; that would be of little count. Would not her dear Herbert and Laura--she put it to them--welcome her? She was such a good manager, and they were so ignorant of the world. "Of course, dear ma!" said Laura. "That will be so nice; and then I should not have any trouble with the house and that horrid cookery book. I hate it! I wish Soyer had never been born. I'm sure I cannot make head or tail of all his `economical dishes,' as he calls them." "Certainly, my love!" responded the campaigner with alacrity. It was wonderful how very sweet and affectionate she could be when she had any point to gain. "I should take charge of all that off your hands, my dear! It _would_ be hard if I could not be of use to my own children, whom I only have left to care for." "That'll be all right, ma, then?" said Laura, considering the matter settled; but the campaigner was not so sure, for her son-in-law had not made any response yet to the offer. "What does Herbert say, my pet?" exclaimed the old general, playfully, and looked the Rev. Herbert full in the face. "Will he turn his old mother into the street, or--?" "Oh! certainly, Lady Inskip, certainly!" promptly answered up the young divine, confused at being appealed to. "That is, of course we'll be glad to have you here for a time, and--" "Oh! I see," interposed the campaigner, with a capital assumption of offended pride and wounded feeling, "I should be intruding when I only offered to come here and help my darling child. Oh! that I have lived to hear this." "Oh! ma," said Laura, "don't go on so. Herbert didn't mean anything of the kind." "That I have lived to see this day!" repeated the campaigner, with solemn emphasis, and looking as if she were going to cry; however as she was seldom given to lachrymals, tears did not come so readily as would have now suited her purpose, but she twisted up her eyes, nevertheless, and sniffed ominously.