in fact, don't hesitate to call her domineering, and it has been whispered around that her departed husband, to whom she always now refers as 'poor dear,' deserved that sympathetic appellation much more during his lifetime than he possibly could do now. And they do say that the poor dear man's favourite text was that about there being in Heaven no marrying and giving in marriage. Yet he left Aunt Agatha all that he possessed on condition that she never married again. I'm inclined to believe that he did that out of right-down kindness of heart for his fellow men. Anyway, it has effectively kept Aunt Agatha from entering the bonds of matrimony a second time. Say, though, this is pure gossip, and my Aunt Agatha is really a very good sort—when you know her well.
'I only just wish I had the chance,' said Dorothy languidly. Nobody ever takes any notice of what Dorothy says. Her only claim to fame is that she has married a baronet and got the only title so far in the family. This way—so says the British Constitution—she takes precedence of her own mother, and you can imagine how mother likes that. My step-father is being continually urged to buck up and get something or other to set things right, but baronets have been looking up a lot lately, I'm told, and it isn't so easy to get past them now as it used to be. Anyway, nothing but a peerage or the Privy Council, I am told, will do the trick, and I doubt if my step-father's cute enough for that. So Dorothy remains on top. Dorothy has also had twins twice. I can't think of anything
