She was a full twenty years younger than
her brothers, as could be seen notwithstanding their boyish look,
which came from innocence and clean-shaven faces. It was pleasant to
see their almost fatherly pride in her. Mr. Fogo noted it vaguely,
but an inexplicable nervousness seemed to have overtaken him since
entering the cottage.
"I came," he said at last, "to inquire about Kit's House, which I
hear is to let."
"Thankin' you kindly, sir," answered Peter; "an' I won't say but what
we shall be glad to let et. But Paul and I ha' been puttin' our
heads togither, and we allow 'tes for Tamsin to say."
Here he looked at Paul, who nodded gravely and repeated, in his
former mechanical tone, "for Tamsin to say."
Mr. Fogo looked more distressed than ever.
"I beg your pardon, I'm sure," he began, with a quick glance at the
girl, who was quietly pouring tea; "I did not know."
"No offence, sir. On'y, don't you see, 'tes this way. Kit's House
es a gran' place wi' a slaty roof an' a I-talian garden, and a mighty
deal too fine for the likes of Paul an' me. But wi' Tamsin 'tes
another thing. We both agree she ought to be a leddy--not but what
she's a better gal than tens o' thousands o' leddies--an' more than
once we've offered to get her larnt the pi-anner an' callysthenics,
an' the use o' globes, an' all such things which we knows to be usual
in gran' sussiety; on'y she sticks to et to bide along wi' we.
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