human
She did have you on, he said.
gpt
You have to keep your eyes skinned when Barbara begins to pull your leg.
human
I can't say I care for that sort of thing much myself, said Jimmy.
gpt
Still, you must take people as you find them. If Barbara finds it amusing to play the fool in that way, I don't much mind. She is growing up into a very nice sort of girl and one can forgive her a few antics. I say, George, I shall have Feltham some day, and be fairly well off, I suppose. I don't suppose your Governor would object, would he, if anything were to come of it between Barbara and me?
human
Anything were to come of what?
gpt
Oh, well, I should have thought you could have seen that Barbara is a good deal more to me than other girls. Of course I chaff her, and treat her in some ways as a kid, but--
human
I should have thought that was how she treated you.
gpt
Well, it's our way of treating each other. I don't suppose she thinks of me as a kid any more than I do of her. I don't go as far as to say that she's gone on me, or anything of that sort. She's too young at present to be gone on anybody, however much she may lark and rot about it. And I haven't done anything to make her yet. I'm only asking you, _supposing_ it took me that way, and I was serious about it, I might be the sort of fellow your Governor wouldn't mind Barbara marrying?
human
I should think he'd be half off his head with delight, said Young George.
gpt
I say, Jimmy, there's something I want to consult you about. Barbara has written to me about it, and she says I can.
human
I shall be pleased to give you my advice, George. Her, too, if she wants it. How did she--er--put it--that she wanted it.
gpt
Oh, she said: 'I don't mind your telling that little ass, Jimmy, and see what he thinks,' or something of that sort. She didn't mean anything by it.
human
Oh, no. I don't mind. It's the way we treat each other. Well, what's the trouble, old man?
gpt
Ah, said Jimmy sapiently.
human
I've been wondering how long it would be before you tumbled to that. It's the talk of the county.
gpt
Do you mean that, or is it only swank because you always see everything--generally before it happens?
human
My dear chap, I can only tell you your Governor went out for a walk with her the moment after Caroline had gone away, and fixed it up then. If you don't believe me, ask him.
gpt
Oh, that's rot. Caroline was married over two months ago. If he had fixed it up then we should have known about it by this time.
human
They agreed to keep it to themselves for a bit. You'll hear soon enough.
gpt
Did my Governor tell you that, or Ella Carruthers?
human
There's no need to play the ass, George. Everybody knows it's settled. Vera mentioned it in the last letter she wrote to me. Mrs. Carruthers has gone up to London, to be near your Governor. He's working rather hard at present, and can't be at Abington as much as he was.
gpt
Is she keen on him?
human
Thinks about nobody else.
gpt
How can you possibly know that? I wish you'd chuck pretending to be God Almighty, and just be little Jimmy Beckley. Barbara wants to know what we think, and what's really happening.
human
Well, she's come to the right quarter then. I haven't said anything before, because I didn't know you'd tumbled to it. But I do know more about it than most. There's a cousin of ours who is dead keen on her, and she won't look at him.
gpt
Who is he?
human
He's Sir John Ambleside--on my mother's side of the family. He's in the Scots Guards, and has just come back from India, where he's been A.D.C. to some Governor fellow. He hasn't got much money, so of course all our lot are rather keen on it, as she's supposed to have a good deal. But, as I say, she won't look at him, because of your Governor.
gpt
Is he young?
human
About thirty. Good-looking chap too. It'd be a good match for both of them. There'd be his title against her money. But there it is. He hasn't got a chance. I'm not sorry for it myself, as I've an idea of nobbling him for Vera. She's getting on--twenty-two next birthday, and it's time she was settled. I'm going to get my people to ask him down at Easter, when I shall be at home and can look after things. I hope it will all be settled with your Governor by that time.
gpt
I don't think Barbara knows it has gone as far as that, said Young George reflectively.
human
She only says she thinks it may happen, though Caroline doesn't. She won't be pleased when I tell her what you've told me.
gpt
Why not?
human
Oh, well, I suppose she wouldn't be. Now Caroline and B are married she wants to be Number One with the Governor.
gpt
Poor little girl! said Jimmy tenderly.
human
I call that rather touching, you know, George. We ought to try and make it up to her, if it does happen--not let her feel herself out of it. I'm sure I'll do all I can to show her that she's still thought a great deal of.
gpt
I'm sure you will, said Young George.
human
But you won't find she'll want much of you if she can have the Governor.
gpt
That sort of feeling changes when girls grow up, said Jimmy.
human
Their Governors don't stand much of a chance when the right chap comes along. I will say for your Governor, though, that he knows how to make himself pleasant to younger people, men as well as girls. There's nobody of his age I like better to have a yarn with. I'm not a bit surprised at a woman like Mrs. Carruthers falling in love with him.
gpt
You think it would be a good thing, then?
human
A good thing? Of course it would be a good thing. Don't you think so yourself?
gpt
Oh, I don't know. I like her all right. Rather rum to have her as a sort of mother, though.
human
Nobody thinks anything of that now-a-days. She'd be more like a sort of sister. I must say _I_ shouldn't mind having her about the place, if it was me. She's a very fine woman. I spotted her three seasons ago, when she first began to hunt again after Carruthers died. If I hadn't felt myself a bit tied up with Kate Pemberton then, I think I might have tried to make myself pleasant to her. Well, I always have made myself pleasant to her. I think she likes me all right. If she marries your Governor we shall be pretty near neighbours.
gpt
Well, I hope _you_ won't try to cut him out, if he wants to marry her. I don't quite know what to think about it. I shall tell Barbara that it would be a good thing.
human
Yes, I should, if I were you. And you can tell her that I'm all in favour of it, as she has asked what I think.
gpt
Thanks, I will, said Young George.
human
That ought to settle her mind, if anything can. I say, I haven't told you. B's going to have a baby.
gpt
By Jove! said Jimmy.
human
It seems no time since B was almost a kid. Makes you feel you're getting on, that sort of thing, eh? Poor little girl! I suppose she's pleased enough about it though, isn't she? They generally are.
gpt
Oh, yes, she's pleased enough.
human
Made up her mind it's going to be a boy, of course.
gpt
Well, she does want it to be a boy. How did you know that?
human
They always want a boy--so that he shall be like hubby, I suppose. B had it pretty bad, you know. Nobody could get a word out of her when she was in love with Dick. That was a good business all round, George. You and I can congratulate ourselves on that.
gpt
Why you and I?
human
Well, you asked my advice about it, didn't you? I told you what I thought. I suppose we had something to do with bringing it off. I wish we'd looked after Caroline a bit more. I don't like to think of a girl like that married to a chap like Bradby. I take your word for it that he's a good chap in himself, but Caroline is wasted on him all the same. She might have married anybody.
gpt
She didn't want to marry anybody. She wanted to marry him, and it has turned out a great success. You'll say so yourself when you see them together.
human
Ah, that's all very well at present. It hasn't had time to wear off yet. It's done now and can't be helped; but you see if she doesn't wish she'd not done it in a few years' time. There'll be B in her jolly country house, with all she can want; and Barbara, perhaps--well, I know a pretty decent country house that she can have by and bye, if she wants to. And Caroline--well, really, you know, it makes you feel rather sick. Poor girl! However, I don't altogether blame her for chucking herself away, if she was in love. I'd do it myself. But I dare say I should live to be sorry for it, if I married beneath me.