"
"We cannot change our ego," I explained to her. "Some daughters
would appreciate a father youthful enough in temperament to
sympathise with and to indulge them. The solemn old fogey you have
in your mind would have brought you up very differently. Let me tell
you that, my girl. You would not have liked him, if you had had
him."
"Perhaps not," Robina agreed. "You are awfully good in some ways."
"What we have got to do in this world, Robina," I said, "is to take
people as they are, and make the best of them. We cannot expect
everybody to be just as we would have them, and maybe we should not
like them any better if they were. Don't bother yourself about how
much nicer they might be; think how nice they are."
Robina said she would try. I have hopes of making Robina a sensible
woman.
CHAPTER VII
Dick and Veronica returned laden with parcels. They explained that
"Daddy Slee," as it appeared he was generally called, a local builder
of renown, was following in his pony-cart, and was kindly bringing
the bulkier things with him.
"I tried to hustle him," said Dick, "but coming up after he had
washed himself and had his tea seemed to be his idea of hustling. He
has got the reputation of being an honest old Johnny, slow but sure;
the others, they tell me, are slower. I thought you might care,
later on, to talk to him about the house."
Veronica took off her things and put them away, each one in its
proper place.
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