I would rather be
anything in the world than married to that!
I tried to be agreeable to Sir Charles. We were only a party of six. An
old Miss Harpenden, who goes everywhere to play bridge, and Malcolm, and
one of Lady Ver's young men, and I. Sir Charles is absent, and brings
himself back. He fiddles with the knives and forks, and sprawls on the
table rather, too. He looks at Lady Ver with admiration in his eyes. It is
true, then, in the intervals of Paris, I suppose, she can make his heart
beat.
Malcolm made love to me after dinner. We were left to talk when the others
sat down to bridge in the little drawing-room.
"I missed you so terribly, Miss Travers," he said, priggishly, "when you
left us that I realized I was extremely attracted by you."
"No, you don't say so!" I said, innocently. "Could one believe a thing
like that?"
"Yes," he said, earnestly. "You may, indeed, believe it."
"Do not say it so suddenly, then," I said, turning my head away so that he
could not see how I was laughing. "You see, to a red-haired person like me
these compliments go to my head."
"Oh, I do not want to flurry you," he said, affably. "I know I have been a
good deal sought after--perhaps on account of my possessions"--this with
arrogant modesty--"but I am willing to lay everything at your feet if you
will marry me.
Pages:
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147