"You are rather late, dear," she said; "but all the better.

It has given me an excuse for reading your dear letters all over again; and I have a thousand questions to ask you about Cairnhope.

But sit down first, and have your supper." Henry brightened up, and ate a good supper, and his mother plied him with questions, all about Cairnhope.
Here was an unexpected relief.

Henry took a superficial view of all this.

Sharp young men of twenty-four understand a great many things; but they can't quite measure their mothers yet.
Henry was selfishly pleased, but not ungrateful, and they passed a pleasant and affectionate time: and, as for leaving Hillsborough, the topic was avoided by tacit consent.
Next morning, after this easy victory, Henry took a cab and got to "Woodbine Villa" by a circuitous route.