The Foot of Time: A Novel of Australia and the South Seas: (1933)

112 THE FOOT OF TIME
you I never know anything—anything about anything."
But this time Clare knew that Edith had been
confiding in her Aunt. The knowledge gave her
confidence to open out her poor heart. She was
in good mood for it.
"Do you approve of your niece marrying my
son?" she enquired, by way of a beginning.
"Your boy is a long way off Edith yet, Mam,"
was Florence's non-commitant reply.
"I asked you whether you approved of the
match?"
Florence took some while to answer this sally.
Presently she said:
"Mrs. Swinton, my niece loves him. That is good
enough for me. I have implicit confidence in her
judgment. Bruce isn't the first boy to fall in love
with her, not by a very long way, Mrs. Swinton.
Edith never encourages them, but there it is. The
child isn't exactly pretty, but she has a way with
her. She is ultra feminine. Boys go mad about her.
Why shouldn't they, tell me that? Edith has given
her heart to your boy. I have to admit it. I must
concede it to you. Her mother is the simplest baby
ever born. My sister isn't in this picture. On the
other hand, I am. If William gets in the way of
those two babies, then, Mam, God help him, for
he's going to have Florence Tooth to deal with, and
Florence Tooth can bite when she has a mind to."
"How perfectly splendid of you," said Clare. I
am afraid Mr. Burne will be—be difficult."
"Difficult! Bless the woman! Hear her? Diffi-
THE FOOT OF TIME 113
cult! My brother-in-law will be impossible, Mam,
take that from me. Nothing will move him. He'll
move heaven and hell to stop such a match. Once
William knows who—what your husband is, a
divorced free thinker, and his door will shut against
yonugand.,, rl house as securely as a vault in the Bank of
England."
"Do you know who my husband is?"
"No," o,;lied Florence with a snap, "and I don't
to."
”carries a title, which, for all I know, passes
nBrut.ce. tlioe Honestly, I don't know whether it does
otorf
"Neither do I," replied Miss Tooth. "The law,
Mam, if you will pardon me, is a damned ass."
Clare laughed at that. She felt better already.
Florence did her good, and the old lady was on their
side. Her aid might prove useful, one never knew.
Edith's mother appeared a very sweet angelic
woman, but was entirely under the thumb of her
husband. Her influence would probably be negligible.
"Do you like Bruce, Miss Tooth.
"Decidedly so, Mrs. Swinton; but I don't like
his hereditary. Blood will out. The boy seems
straight enough. He is an extraordinary clever engineer,
very sure of himself. I think he may go a
long way. Edith will help him, too, mark my word
upon that. She won't push him, she'll encourage
and spur him mentally. I see a great future for
Bruce. The boy's clever, clever and strong. The
only thing that I am afraid of