'
Freda looked at Mrs Vaughan to see if she spoke ironically. Not at all.
She fully believed what she said. Colonel Vaughan saw the glance, and
smiling, said,--
'All in good faith, I assure you.'
Freda blushed, and to turn the conversation, began to talk to him of his
children, and to praise their beauty. He smiled again, as perfectly
understanding her ruse.
'People call them loves and angels!' he said, 'and even go into raptures
over the baby. For my part, I never look at them when they are babies.
Indeed, I don't like children, and all ours are so spoilt. Wilhelmina
doesn't know how to manage them, and now their governess is away, the
house is like a lunatic asylum.'
'Oh, Gwynne, how abthurd you are! He ith tho fond of them, Freda, you
can't think, and they are thuch little dearth.'
'I was greatly amused,' said Freda, 'to hear Minnie call Harold "uncle,"
just now; and he seemed not a little proud of his dignity.'
'Surely, Freda, you haven't learnt to talk baby talk!' said Colonel
Vaughan. 'You used to eschew such twaddle.'
'It was time for me to learn to like a great many things that I
professed to hate. I hope I am improved since I was here last. But I
always liked children.'
'Oh! Harold is so fond of her,' said Mr Gwynne.
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