You know, Geoff, I can't really promise anything till I've talked
with papa."
It was settled that until Dr. Carr had been consulted, the affair was not
to be called an engagement, or spoken of to any one; only Clover asked
Geoff to tell Clarence all about it at once.
The thought of Clarence was, in truth, the one cloud in her happiness just
then. It was impossible to calculate how he would take the news. If it
made him angry or very unhappy, if it broke up his friendship with Geoff,
and perhaps interfered with their partnership so that one or other of them
must leave the High Valley, Clover felt that it would grievously mar her
contentment. There was no use in planning anything till they knew how he
would feel and act. In any case, she realized that they were bound to
consider him before themselves, and make it as easy and as little painful
as possible. If he were vexatious, they must be patient; if sulky, they
must be forbearing.
Phil opened his eyes very wide at the pair sitting so coseyly over the
fire when at last he came in.
"I say, have _you_ been here all the evening?" he cried. "Well, that's a
sell! I wouldn't have gone out if I'd known."
"We've missed you very much," quoth Geoff; and then he laughed as at some
extremely good joke, and Clover laughed too.
"You seem to have kept up your spirits pretty well, considering," remarked
Phil, dryly. Boys of eighteen are not apt to enjoy jokes which do not
originate with themselves; they are suspicious of them.
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