“Which one of them is he in love with, Papa?”
Sir Charles was silent for a minute or two and then he replied,
“It’s not exactly a question of love, Bettina. I don’t think that Varien has really been in love with anyone for years, if ever.”
“Then – I don’t – understand.”
“It is not expected that you should,” Sir Charles said. “I am well aware that I should not have brought you straight from school into a set-up of this sort, but there was no alternative if I was to attend the Opening of the Canal, which I longed to do.”
“You know how wonderful it will be for me too to be there,” Bettina sighed.
Her father smiled.
“No one else was likely to ask us.”
Bettina smiled back.
“No, of course not, Papa. So we must not criticise, must we?”
“You are a very sensible child, Bettina,” Sir Charl
