"'I'm engaged to be married, sir, she said,'" remarked Ann demurely.
"Engaged? Great Scott! Who to?" Robin manifested all the unflattering
amazement common to successive generations of brothers when confronted
with the astounding fact that the apparently quite ordinary young woman
whom they have hitherto regarded merely as a sisterly adjunct to life has
suddenly become the pivot upon which some other man's entire happiness will
henceforth turn.
But afterwards, when he had had time to assimilate the unexpected news, he
was ready to enter whole-heartedly into Ann's happiness--just as throughout
all their lives he had been always ready to share with her either happiness
or pain, like the good comrade he was.
"I shall miss you abominably," he declared. "In fact, I shall forbid the
banns if Coventry wants to carry you off too soon."
"You absurd person!" She laughed and kissed him. "Why, living at
Heronsmere, I shall be able to look after you both. Little brother shan't
be neglected, I promise you!"
They sat over the fire talking till the grandfather's clock in the corner
struck twelve warning strokes. Robin knocked out the ashes of his pipe.
"We'd better be thinking of turning in, old thing," he observed.
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