Molly took her hand away, and her heart began to harden; these
speeches were so discordant to her. But she set her teeth together,
and "tried to be good."
"We must make him so happy. I'm afraid he has had a great deal to
annoy him at home; but we will do away with all that now. You must
tell me," seeing the cloud in Molly's eyes, "what he likes and
dislikes, for of course you will know."
Molly's face cleared a little; of course she did know. She had not
watched and loved him so long without believing that she understood
him better than any one else: though how he had come to like Mrs.
Kirkpatrick enough to wish to marry her, was an unsolved problem that
she unconsciously put aside as inexplicable. Mrs. Kirkpatrick went
on,--"All men have their fancies and antipathies, even the wisest.
I have known some gentlemen annoyed beyond measure by the merest
trifles; leaving a door open, or spilling tea in their saucers, or
a shawl crookedly put on. Why," continued she, lowering her voice,
"I know of a house to which Lord Hollingford will never be asked
again because he didn't wipe his shoes on both the mats in the hall!
Now you must tell me what your dear father dislikes most in these
fanciful ways, and I shall take care to avoid it. You must be my
little friend and helper in pleasing him. It will be such a pleasure
to me to attend to his slightest fancies. About my dress, too--what
colours does he like best? I want to do everything in my power with a
view to his approval."
Molly was gratified by all this, and began to think that really,
after all, perhaps her father had done well for himself; and that
if she could help towards his new happiness, she ought to do it. So
she tried very conscientiously to think over Mr. Gibson's wishes and
ways; to ponder over what annoyed him the most in his household.
"I think," said she, "papa isn't particular about many things; but I
think our not having the dinner quite punctual--quite ready for him
when he comes in, fidgets him more than anything. You see, he has
often had a long ride, and there is another long ride to come, and he
has only half-an-hour--sometimes only a quarter--to eat his dinner
in."
"Thank you, my own love. Punctuality! Yes; it's a great thing in a
household. It's what I've had to enforce with my young ladies at
Ashcombe. No wonder poor dear Mr. Gibson has been displeased at his
dinner not being ready, and he so hard-worked!"