Chapter 15.13 - Shirley

Very well. You might do worse. Margaret is not unhappy. She has her books for a pleasure and her brother for a care, and is content. If ever you want a home, if the day should come when Brifield Rectory is yours no longer, come to Nunnerley Vicarage. Should the old maid and bachelor be still living, they will make you tenderly welcome." There are your flowers. Now," said Caroline, who had kept the nose-gay she had selected for him till this moment, you don't care for a bouquet, but you must give it to Margaret. Only, to be sentimental for once, keep that little forget-me-not, which is a wildflower I gathered from the grass. And, to be still more sentimental, let me take two or three of the blue blossoms and put them in my souvenir." And she took out a small book with enameled cover and silver clasp, wherein, having opened it, she inserted the flowers, writing round them in pencil, To be kept for the sake of the Reverend Cyril Hall. My friend. May. 18. The Reverend Cyril Hall on his part also, placed a sprig in safety between the leaves of a pocket testament. He only wrote on the margin, Caroline. Now, said he, smiling, I trust we are romantic enough? Miss Kildare, he continued. Curates, by the by, during this conversation, were too much occupied with their own jokes to notice what passed at the other end of the table. I hope you are laughing at this trait of exaltation in the old grey-headed vicar. But the fact is, I am so used to comply with the requests of this young friend of yours, I don't know how to refuse her when she tells me to do anything. You would say it is not much in my way to traffic with flowers and forget-me-nots. But you see, when requested to be sentimental, I am obedient.