"Tell your mother all you have told me--and more, if you have
more to say. She is better prepared for you than I was. We will take
to-day to think of it, Magdalen; and to-morrow you shall know, and Frank
shall know, what we decide."
Her eyes brightened, as they looked into his face and saw the decision
there already, with the double penetration of her womanhood and her
love. Happy, and beautiful in her happiness, she put his hand to her
lips, and went, without hesitation, into the morning-room. There, her
father's words had smoothed the way for her; there, the first shock of
the surprise was past and over, and only the pleasure of it remained.
Her mother had been her age once; her mother would know how fond she
was of Frank. So the coming interview was anticipated in her thoughts;
and--except that there was an unaccountable appearance of restraint in
Mrs. Vanstone's first reception of her--was anticipated aright. After a
little, the mother's questions came more and more unreservedly from the
sweet, unforgotten experience of the mother's heart. She lived again
through her own young days of hope and love in Magdalen's replies.
The next morning the all-important decision was announced in words.
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