LESLIE. I thought it was such an excellent Small Holding! What about the carrots? CHAR. Pah! Carrots! Why not peaches? Come on, Leslie! I've got the papers in the other room. _CHARLEY lifts the curtain and they go into front room._ LILY. I'm afraid Charley must be tired. He seems quite irritable. MAGGIE. So am I when I get home from business. [_Throwing out her arms and smiling at LILY._] No more shop for me in a month or two, Lil. LILY. [_excitedly._] You're going to marry Mr. Foster? _MAGGIE nods._ Oh, how lovely! How nice for you, dear! I am so glad. What did mother say? MAGGIE. [_with a little laugh._] Mother is charmed. LILY. Everybody is, of course. He is such a nice man. He will spoil you, Maggie. You lucky girl! MAGGIE. Yes, I suppose I am. LILY. You don't like to show it, of course, dear. MAGGIE. Don't I? You should have seen me last night! I took off my shop collar and apron and put them on the floor and danced on them--till mother came to see what was the matter. LILY. You _must_ be fond of him, dear. MAGGIE. No, I'm _not,_ particularly. LILY. Maggie! MAGGIE. [_walking up and down._] That's funny now. I didn't mean to say that. It just came. [_A pause._] How queer! [_A pause._] Well, it's the truth, anyway. At least, it's not quite true. When I came here to-day I was awfully happy about it--I am fond of him at least--I--well--he's very nice--you know. [_Irritably._] What did you want to start this for, Lil? LILY. [_aggrieved._] _I_ start it? I did nothing. MAGGIE. I was so satisfied when I came. LILY. [_soothingly and taking her sister's hat and coat from her._] You're a little tired, dear. We'll have an early cup of tea. Have you got your ring, dear? _MAGGIE holds out her left hand._ How sweet! Sapphires! He must be rich, Maggie. _Pause._ MAGGIE. I wish I was a good housekeeper, Lil. LILY. [_reassuring._] Oh, you'll soon learn, dear; and his other housekeeper wasn't very good. MAGGIE. I wasn't thinking of that. LILY. But you talked of housekeeping, dear. MAGGIE. Yes, but that's quite different from being married. If I could cook decently, I would have left the shop before. LILY. But you _are_ going to leave the shop! MAGGIE. [_unheeding._] Or if I understood anything about the house properly, but I couldn't be even a mother's help unless I could wash. LILY. I don't know what you mean, Maggie. You haven't got to wash. You know Mr. Foster can afford to send it all out. [_Sighing enviously._] That must be nice. MAGGIE. I heard of a girl the other day, Fanny White--you know her--she's gone to Canada. LILY. Canada! Who's talking about Canada? What's that to do--? MAGGIE. I was envious. She used to be with us at the shop.