When she was well enough to sit up on a sofa, Culroyd fumed with impatience to see her. He insisted on coming upstairs with me, though I told him I wasn't at all sure... And so it proved: Hilda said she _really_ wasn't equal to meeting any one. The next day she was rather stronger, and I prevailed on her just to let him bring the flowers into her room. "Aunt Ann, will you leave us alone for one moment?," he asked. "Really, Culroyd," I said.... Oh, I know it's done, but I was brought up in a different school. All this popping in and out of young people's bedrooms... "Please! I _beg_ you!," he said. And then, before I knew where I was, he had kissed me on both cheeks, tapped at the door and disappeared... I went to see about some vases for the flowers; and, when I came back, he was on his knees by the bed and Hilda was stroking his head. My old heart warmed... I am not ashamed to confess it. A radiance that you see before young people have time to become hard, worldly... They announced it next day to Brackenbury, though I am sure Hilda was imprudent to travel. Though I could not fairly be saddled with any responsibility, I was a little nervous to see how he would take it; every family has its scapegoat, and at the Hall they have so long found it convenient to dignify me with that position... "Were you surprised?," I asked. "Well, yes," Brackenbury admitted. "It was commonly reported that you were keeping Hilda up your sleeve for Will. People told me that it was impossible to walk into a restaurant or theatre without meeting them. You won't deny that you did rather throw them at each other's heads?" "Brackenbury," I said. "If any one thought it worth while to call me a homicidal maniac, I doubt if I should bother to deny it... But are you pleased?" "Oh, yes," he said. "They seem quite happy; and that's all that matters." And I preferred to leave it at that. It is not a great match. Ruth, of course, is delighted, because it supports her own conduct in marrying Brackenbury.... Even Phyllida had a good word for me--which was so gratifying! "I hope you're all as pleased as we are," she said, with a funny, unsmiling expression. Almost antagonistic... I noticed that she had Hilda's trick of looking you straight in the eyes--a sort of challenge ... quite fearless ... and ready to change in a moment to impudence. "I am," I said. "Your uncle Arthur is away and has not been told yet. Will is away too." "What's Will doing?," she asked. "He was offered a post at Morecambe," I told her. "Hilda's father wanted some one of experience and position, who was used to handling men--" She seemed to find something to smile at in that. "What does he get?," she interrupted. This absorption in pounds, shillings and pence comes to them _entirely_ from their poor mother... "A thousand a year--to start on," I told her. "And cheap at the price," said Phyllida. I had to beg her to enlighten me.