If she's played any tricks on you it's only her
lighthearted way. Go away, children, I'm busy."
"Did you get her note?" asked Kathleen.
The aunt showed rather more interest than before, but she still kept
her finger in the novelette.
"Oh," she said, "so you witnessed her departure? Did she seem
glad to go?"
"Quite," said Gerald truthfully.
"Then I can only be glad that she is provided for," said the aunt. "I
dare say you were surprised. These romantic adventures do occur
in our family. Lord Yalding selected me out of eleven applicants
for the post of housekeeper here. I've not the slightest doubt the
child was changed at birth and her rich relatives have claimed
her."
"But aren't you going to do anything tell the police, or"
"Shish!" said Mabel.
"I won't shish," said Jimmy. "Your Mabel's invisible that's all it is.
She's just beside me now."
"I detest untruthfulness," said the aunt severely, "in all its forms.
Will you kindly take that little boy away? I am quite satisfied
about Mabel."
"Well," said Gerald, "you are an aunt and no mistake! But what
will Mabel's father and mother say?"
"Mabel's father and mother are dead," said the aunt calmly, and a
little sob sounded close to Gerald's ear.
"All right," he said, "we'll be off. But don't you go saying we didn't
tell you the truth, that's all."
"You have told me nothing," said the aunt, "none of you, except
that little boy, who has told me a silly falsehood.
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