Mrs. Veale stared at her; Kate had never been there before. What had brought her there now? Were all the Luxmores coming to make that their home, even before the marriage?
’And what have you got there?’ pursued Kate, full of liveliness. ’Why, that is one of the yellow paper rat-poison packets the man sold at the fair. I know it. ’Tis a queer thing you keeping the poison in the body of the dog. But I suppose you are right; no one would think to go there for it.’
’What do you want here?’ asked Mrs. Veale, hastily replacing the packet and the dog on the mantel-shelf. ’Why have you come? We’ve had enough of you Luxmores already. Your brother Charles has played us a pretty tune, and now your sister’s like to lead a dance.’
’She—no! She’s been gone some time. Ain’t she home? Perhaps she’s walking over the land, and counting the acres that may be hers, and prizing the fleeces of the sheep.’
’She is wanted. As for Charles, there’s naught proved against him, and till there is, I won’t believe it. I’ve just had a talk with someone, and he tells me another tale altogether. So there—not another word against poor Charles. He wasn’t ever sweet on you, I can tell you. ’Tis a pity, too, about those dogs. They’re both water-spaniels—what intelligent eyes they have, and what lovely long curly ears! They ought to be a pair some day.’
’I tell you,’ said Mrs. Veale, ’your sister is not here.’
’Our dog,’ went on Kate, unabashed, ’don’t belong to father. He is Honor’s own. She had the pair, till Joe knocked one of them over. Her mother gave it her. ’Tis curious now that her dog should turn his blessed nose one way, and this dog should turn his nose the other way. It looks as if they were made for each other, which is more than is the case with some that want to be pairing. A mantel-shelf don’t look as well with a spaniel in the middle as it do with one at each end. That is, I suppose, why your master is looking out for a wife. Well! I think he’d have matched better with you than with someone else whom I won’t name. A house with one in it is like a mantel-shelf with one odd dog on it. Does this chimney ornament belong to you or to the house?’
’Never mind, go your ways. Don’t you think ever to pair them two dogs, nor your sister and the master. There is a third to be considered. If one be broken, there is no pairing. Do y’ know what the ash said to the axe?