"Of course they won’t want to be married yet awhile," he said, "but we’re expecting an engagement any day. I must say that it has all turned out in a most extraordinarily satisfactory way. Supposing the boy had done what his father did! He’d seen nobody here; he might very well have got taken in by somebody who wouldn’t have been the right sort of person for him to marry when he cut himself loose. And there was just the chance of this one girl being here when he came home. One is inclined to think of Lady Brent managing everything, but she didn’t actually manage that. It just came about." Wilbraham listened to all this, his own thoughts running all the time. Sidney and Jane and Harry were in another part of the garden, out of sight, but not out of hearing. A burst of laughter punctuated the close of the Vicar’s speech. "Wouldn’t they want to get away by themselves if it’s as you think?" Wilbraham asked. "Ah, my boy, you don’t recognize the march of the great passion," said Grant. "I’ve loved watching those three together, because it is all going as I should have expected." "Copy in it," suggested Wilbraham. "Well, that’s your way of putting it. But of course one takes in everything that passes before one’s eyes, and if it doesn’t come out exactly like it, it’s——" "Near enough to look like it. Well, I suppose you’ve made a study of it, and all the old women who read your immortal works will shiver down their spines and say, ’It was just like that with me.’ But I’d rather take Jane’s opinion about it than yours." "Would you? Well, Jane’s having the time of her life. They’re awfully nice to her. Of course they’re just in the state when it’s gratifying to have somebody like Jane with them, who thinks there never was anybody like either of them. They flatter each other through her." "Oh, that’s how it’s going to be worked out, is it? The old women will love that. It’s a new touch, and they’ll wish they’d thought of it for themselves, in time. Did Jane tell you it was like that, or was it your own mighty brain?" "You’re jealous of my success, Wilbraham. But I don’t mind your jibes. I don’t write for the highbrows like you, and I do touch the hearts of thousands. Jane talks to her mother. I shouldn’t expect her to talk to me about it." "Well, what does Mrs. Grant say? She’s got some sense." "She keeps rather quiet about it. I think she’s just thankful that Harry has somebody to keep him bright and cheerful while he’s at home. You made a mistake, you know, before, in not letting him have young people to play with." "He had your two."