Her
sister-in-law was too polite to interfere, but, as a matter of fact, she
did not take much pleasure in the notion that Barbara was going to stay
a very long time, too. She was fond of her, but it was not Barbara whom
Michael wanted. She turned her attention to the girl again.
"My husband's away," she said, confidentially; "he is very busy down at
Ashbridge, and I daresay he won't find time to come up to town for many
weeks yet. But, you know, Michael and I do very well without him,
very well, indeed, and it would never do to take him away from his
duties--would it, Michael?"
Here was a shoal to be avoided.
"No, you mustn't think of tempting him to come up to town," said
Michael. "Give me some tea for Aunt Barbara."
This answer entranced Lady Ashbridge; she had to nudge Michael several
times to show that she understood the brilliance of it, and put lump
after lump of sugar into Barbara's cup in her rapt appreciation of it.
But very soon she turned to Sylvia again.
"And your brother is a friend of Michael's, too, isn't he?" she said.
"Some day perhaps he will come to see me. We don't see many people,
Michael and I, for we find ourselves very well content alone. But
perhaps some day he will come and play his concert over again to us; and
then, perhaps, if you ask me, I will sing to you.
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