"It will do no harm to look at them, Daisy. It is good to see
all round our duties, and it's hard too. Are you in a hurry to
go back to school?"

"No, ma'am - I can have the evening."

Miss Cardigan pushed her work-baskets and table away, and drew
her chair up beside mine, before the fire; and made it blaze,
and sat and looked into the blaze, till I wondered what was
coming.

"I suppose this is all a fixed thing between Christian and
you," she began at last.

I hardly knew what she meant. I said, that I could not unfix
it.

"And he will not, no fear! So it is fixed, as we may say;
fixed as two hearts can make it. But it's very sudden, Daisy;
and you are a young thing, my dear."

"I know it is sudden," I said, meekly. "It is sudden to me.
But he will not like me less for my being so young."

Miss Cardigan laughed a short laugh.

"Troth, he's no right, being young himself, we may say. You
are safe for his liking, my bonnie Daisy. But - your father
and mother, my dear?"