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"In here," she called, bustling down the hall "Mr Whippering is so looking forward toboth of you"

She led thes of enorilt fireplace Astick sat on a settee He had a muffin halfway to his mouth when they walked in

Aunt Esther flew at hi yellow skirts "Not the ood for your digestion"

The poor ave up his muffin and stood to be introduced He was even taller than Vale, his coat hanging on him in folds But he had a very sweet slasses

"This is Mr Horatio Whippering, my husband," Aunt Esther announced proudly

Mr Whippering bowed to Vale and took Melisande’s hand, twinkling up at her roguishly

The introductions made, Aunt Esther plopped herself down on the settee "Sit down, sit down, and tell hwayly

Melisande arched an eyebrow at him and he winked

"No!" Aunt Esther’s eyes rounded, and she turned to her spouse "Did you hear that, Mr Whippering? Highway my nephew and his wife I never heard the like" She shook her head and poured tea "Well, I expect you frightened them off"

"All by myself" Vale smiled , brave husband," Aunt Esther told Melisande

Melisande sh

"I think they should be hung, really I do," the little woman continued She passed a cup of tea to Vale and Melisande and one to her husband, ad him, "Mind you don’t add creaestion, dear" Then she sat back with a plate full of muffins on her lap and announced, "I must take issue with you, dear nephew"

"And why is that, dear aunt?" Vale asked He’d chosen the largestcrue There’s no reason for such haste unless"--she peered at them sharply--"there is a reason?"

Melisande blinked and shook her head

"No? Well, then, why the rush? Why, I’d hardly got the announceed fiancées and in the very next post--it was the very next post, wasn’t it, Mr Whippering?" she appealed to her spouse He nodded, obviously well used to his part in her ht so," Aunt Esther continued "As I say, the ve {ay, Hery next post, a letter ca that you’d already married Why, I hadn’t even ti present, let alone make plans to travel to London, and what I want to knohycourted ?"

A dutiful nod

"And even then I ement before ed I can’t think why you should marry in such a hurry" She stopped to inhale and drink so ferociously at her nephew

"But, Aunt Esther, I had to wed Melisande as soon as humanly possible," Vale said, all wounded innocence "I was afraid she ht call it off She was surrounded by suitors, and I had to beat theot her to the altar as swiftly as possible"

He finished this outrageous pack of lies by s innocently at his aunt

The lady clapped her hands delightedly "And so you should’ve! Well done! I’ht such a fine lady to make your wife She looks like she has a level head on her shoulders--that should balance your foolery"

Vale clasped his chest and swooned in his chair dramatically "You wound me, dear lady"

"Pish," said his aunt "You are a silly fool, but then most "

They all looked at Mr Whippering, who tried his best to appear suitably scampish He was somewhat hampered by the teacup balanced on his knobby knees

"Well, I wish you both a long and happya bite of muffin into her mouth "And a fruitful one"

Melisande sed at the allusion to babies and looked blindly down at her cup of tea The thought of holding a s baby-fine reddish brown hair, sent a bolt of painful yearning through her Oh, hoonderful it would be to have a baby!

"Thank you, Aunt," Vale was saying gravely "I shall endeavor to father at least a dozen or so offspring"

"I know you jest with me, but fa and I have discussed this on nuree that children settle a youngWhy, I remember the time--" Aunt Esther cut herself off with a start and a squeak as she stared at the ! Look at the time Look at the time! Why didn’t you tell me it was so late, you horridlooked startled

Aunt Esther rocked violently, trying to get up from the settee She was hampered by her voluminous skirts, her teacup, and her plate of et ready Oh, do helpstood and pulled his wife fro for the us, and he’s a terrible stickler, but don’t {leront let that bother you," she confided to Melisande "He tells the lass of wine Now, I’ll have Meg show you to your room and let you wash up, if you desire, but be sure to cous is sure to be on the doorstep at exactly that time Then we shall have to somehow make conversation with him while ait for everyone else to arrive Oh, I’ve invited some lovely people"