"I will tell you what I know," said Brenda. "We have been, as you know, visitors at Langdale for several years. It is true that Mrs Fortescue has taken us to the seaside in the summer, but we have invariably spent our Easter and Christmas holidays at Langdale, and we have got to know the people. In especial, we have got to know the Arbuthnots, who are, in my opinion, absolutely sweet; and there are the Misses Salter, who are very kind and very, very nice; and there is Major Reid--a dear old gentleman--and Major Reid's son. It is about Major Reid's son I want to tell you." "Yes--yes!" said Mr Timmins, in an impatient and very anxious voice. "He is in the Army," continued Brenda. "He is quite young--I don't know his age, but he cannot be twenty-five yet. He is a lieutenant in one of His Majesty's regiments of foot, and we have known him since he was a young lad and we were children. I never did notice that he especially cared about Florence; but this Christmas his manners were completely changed--in fact, the other day, he asked her to marry him." "Thinking that she would be an heiress, no doubt, the young scoundrel!" said Mr Timmins, with an angry twist of his person as he spoke. "Oh no; there you wrong him. He told Florence most emphatically that he cared for her only for herself, and he would marry her gladly if she were as poor as a church mouse. Now, I don't know why church mice should be especially poor; but that was his expression, and it has had a great weight with Florence, who knew the truth all the time, but could not tell him on account of her promise to you." "Ha!" said Mr Timmins. "She never told him--the little witch--did she?" "Of course she didn't. She had faithfully promised you not to breathe it to a soul." "And what sort is he, Brenda? You can tell me, because you are not in love with him. Now, give me a fair and unbiassed opinion of what sort the young man is." "He is quite good-looking, and quite gentlemanly," said Brenda at once. "His father is a dear old gentleman, and I believe the family is a good one. He is the only child, and his mother has been dead for a long time. His father thinks a lot about Michael, I know." "Then I suppose the father will be able to leave the son something?" "I don't know anything about that. I fancy they are both poor. Major Reid has his pension, of course, but I should not imagine they have much private means. They live in a little house, but they are quite nice people." "You wouldn't mind your sister marrying him, would you?" "Not if she loved him." "Thank you very much, Brenda. You can't tell me any more for the present." "Do you think he will propose to her when he knows--or rather do you think he will renew his proposal?" asked Brenda anxiously.