"He told me afterwards," Hugh adds, "that he was determined to pull me through 'for little Molly's sake.'"
At this moment Becky opens the door, and with a frightened glance at the "capting" announces that tea is ready and waiting. So they leave Daisy to herself, promising to send some tea in to her.
There is such a large party on the lawn altogether that Honor and Molly divide the labour between them and have opposition tables, Honor with tea, Molly with coffee. Hugh is seated in a comfortable wicker chair near Molly's table (he preferring coffee to tea), and is being made much of by everybody. There is a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring on the third finger of Molly's left hand now, the pearls playing number two; and as Hugh watches the little hands moving about the cups, the flashes emitted by the fine stones cause him much inward satisfaction, as proving some really tangible arrangement _at last_!
Presently John Sinclair strolls in, and being a tea-drinker, naturally comes to anchor beside Honor's table. He is very soon, as usual, plunged in some scientific discussion with Sir Edward Ferrars, a great liking for each other having sprung up between the two young men. But notwithstanding the rapt attention he is apparently bestowing on the subject, Doctor Sinclair reads the "signs of the times" as quickly as anyone, and the sight of Hugh seated by Molly and the flashing of the latter's diamonds and sapphires afford him every bit as much satisfaction as they do Hugh.
"I have come to the end of my cream!" suddenly exclaims Molly. "Who will fetch me some more?"
"I will," cries Honor, jumping up. "I can lay my hand on it at once. Don't let Dick eat all the sugar while I am gone."
In another moment John Sinclair rises quickly from his chair.
"I will go and see how Daisy is getting on," he remarks, and, quite oblivious of the fact that Sir Edward has just asked him some abstruse question, the answer to which he is eagerly waiting for, off he starts with rapid strides towards the house. Sir Edward, however, looks at Doris and laughs, well pleased. After waiting patiently for some considerable time Molly at length exclaims:
"Good gracious! what a time she is fetching that cream! O, here they all come together."