"He gets so tiresome," she explained. "Won't you sit here?" and was settling herself on the sofa facing her visitor when she rose with a startled look of pain.
"Silly fool!" came from the cage in muffled accents. "Ha ... ha ... ha!"
"A pin!" said Aunt Elizabeth, gingerly sinking down again. "The fact is I was being fitted on with a new dress when you arrived. I didn't like to keep you waiting, so I came as I was--pins and all!"
"It's a very pretty one," said McTaggart--"suits you, too. Such a jolly colour."
"You think so?" The little old lady was pleased and a slight flush warmed her face.
"I suppose," said McTaggart as the pause prolonged itself and he felt she was waiting to gather the object of his visit; "I suppose you've heard about ... Mrs. Uniacke?"
The moment the words had passed his lips he knew he had made a tactless start.
"If you've called to plead for Mary," she said and her voice was short--"I had better tell you that I wash my hands of that affair! I've finished with them--the whole family!"
"Yes----" she caught him up. "Jill, _and_ Roddy--They might have guessed. They ought to have warned me long ago! It's their own fault--and I've done with them."
"Oh, no!" McTaggart's blue eyes were eloquent. "You don't _mean_ it? You couldn't just now when they want you so." He saw a slight quiver cross her face. "And _I_ want you--all your help! We can't get on without it, you know--Jill and I..."
She gave a start at the coupling together of the names.
"No?--I'm afraid I'm explaining myself rather badly. I thought you'd guess ... The fact is, Aunt Elizabeth," he smiled at her affectionately, "I'm hoping you'll let me become, you know, a _real_ nephew of yours, one day."
The little old lady gave a gasp. "I _knew_ it!" she cried triumphantly. "You and Jill?--Ha!" she laughed. "You can't deceive an old woman like me!"
"I don't want to!" McTaggart sprang up, his hand outstretched to meet her own, his face so radiant with happiness that her old heart softened at the sight.
"But I must have _your_ permission first. I don't care a hang what her mother says!--She's placed herself outside the affair. Gone off and left those two children..." he checked himself, his voice indignant. "But you're her father's sister, you see--his favourite one. And we both think you've as good a right as any one ... to give her away."