“Lady Dolphinton made you come? No, how should she do that? She cannot have wished it!”
“Well, that’s it. Didn’t wish it at all. I was in Bond Street, just on the toddle, you know, when out she popped from Hookham’s Library, and stood there staring at me. Made my bow, of course: nothing else to be done! Nasty moment, I can tell you, because I was wearing a new waistcoat, and I’m not sure that it ain’t a thought too dashing. But it wasn’t that. Not,” he added, considering the matter, “that I feel quite easy about it. Liked it when Weston showed it to me, but as soon as I put it on—”
“Oh, Freddy, do stop talking about coats and waistcoats!” begged Miss Charing, quite out of patience. “What did Lady Dolphinton say?”
“Said, So you haven’t gone to Arnside ! Silly thing to say, really, because there I was, in the middle of Bond Street. So I said, No, I hadn’t gone; and she asked me whether I meant to go, and I said I rather fancied not. And that’s when I took a notion she was playing some kind of an undergame, because she gave me a hoaxing sort of a smile, and said I was wise not to go, for it was all a hum, or some such thing. Seemed devilish anxious to discover whether Jack had gone, too. Looked like a cat at a cream-pot when I told her he hadn’t. Playing the concave-suit, that’s what I thought! Well, dash it, Kit, I may not be one of these clever fellows, talking about a lot of dead people out of history, but a man can’t be on the town and not smell out a bubble! Stands to reason! So I came to see for myself what was in the wind. Mistake, of course, but there’s no harm done, as it chances. All the same, Jack served me a damned backhanded turn, and so I shall tell him! A pretty fix I should have been in if I hadn’t met you!”
“No, you wouldn’t,” said Kitty. “Uncle Matthew cannot compel you to offer for me!”
Mr. Standen looked dubious. “You think he can’t? Not sure you’re right there. Fact is, I’m frightened to death of the old gentleman! Always was! I don’t say I wouldn’t have made a push to come off clear, but it would have been dashed awkward. No, the more I think of it the more I think it was a fortunate circumstance I met you. Seemed to me rather a queer start when you walked in, but I’m glad you did, very!” This reflection had the effect of causing a problem which had for some time been floating in a rather nebulous way at the back of his mind to assume a more concrete form. He said suddenly: “Come to think of it, it is a queer start! What brings you here, Kit? No wish to offend you, but not quite the thing, you know!”
Her lip trembled. She replied with a catch in her voice: “I am running away!”
“Oh, running away!” said Mr. Standen, satisfied.
“I could not bear it another instant!” declared Kitty, gripping her hands together in her lap.
“Very understandable,” said Freddy sympathetically. “Most uncomfortable house I ever stayed in! Devilish bad cook, too. Not surprised the old gentleman has stomach trouble. Quite right to run away.”
“It wasn’t that! Only when Uncle Matthew put me in that dreadful position, and Dolph offered for me, and then Hugh — Hugh !—I wished I had never been born!”
Mr. Standen had no difficulty in appreciating this. He said with considerable feeling: “By Jupiter, yes! Not to be wondered at. I wouldn’t have Hugh, if I were you, Kit. You’d find him a dead bore. Handsome fellow, of course, but too mackerel-backed, if you ask me. Never saw anyone make a worse bow. Offered to teach him once, but all he did was to look down his nose, and say it was very obliging of me, but he wouldn’t trouble me. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t. Only did it because everyone knows he’s a cousin of mine.”
“Oh, he is the stiffest thing in nature!” declared Kitty. “But I didn’t care for that! Only he said he would marry me because if he didn’t I should be left d-destitute upon the
“Well, that’s it. Didn’t wish it at all. I was in Bond Street, just on the toddle, you know, when out she popped from Hookham’s Library, and stood there staring at me. Made my bow, of course: nothing else to be done! Nasty moment, I can tell you, because I was wearing a new waistcoat, and I’m not sure that it ain’t a thought too dashing. But it wasn’t that. Not,” he added, considering the matter, “that I feel quite easy about it. Liked it when Weston showed it to me, but as soon as I put it on—”
“Oh, Freddy, do stop talking about coats and waistcoats!” begged Miss Charing, quite out of patience. “What did Lady Dolphinton say?”
“Said, So you haven’t gone to Arnside ! Silly thing to say, really, because there I was, in the middle of Bond Street. So I said, No, I hadn’t gone; and she asked me whether I meant to go, and I said I rather fancied not. And that’s when I took a notion she was playing some kind of an undergame, because she gave me a hoaxing sort of a smile, and said I was wise not to go, for it was all a hum, or some such thing. Seemed devilish anxious to discover whether Jack had gone, too. Looked like a cat at a cream-pot when I told her he hadn’t. Playing the concave-suit, that’s what I thought! Well, dash it, Kit, I may not be one of these clever fellows, talking about a lot of dead people out of history, but a man can’t be on the town and not smell out a bubble! Stands to reason! So I came to see for myself what was in the wind. Mistake, of course, but there’s no harm done, as it chances. All the same, Jack served me a damned backhanded turn, and so I shall tell him! A pretty fix I should have been in if I hadn’t met you!”
“No, you wouldn’t,” said Kitty. “Uncle Matthew cannot compel you to offer for me!”
Mr. Standen looked dubious. “You think he can’t? Not sure you’re right there. Fact is, I’m frightened to death of the old gentleman! Always was! I don’t say I wouldn’t have made a push to come off clear, but it would have been dashed awkward. No, the more I think of it the more I think it was a fortunate circumstance I met you. Seemed to me rather a queer start when you walked in, but I’m glad you did, very!” This reflection had the effect of causing a problem which had for some time been floating in a rather nebulous way at the back of his mind to assume a more concrete form. He said suddenly: “Come to think of it, it is a queer start! What brings you here, Kit? No wish to offend you, but not quite the thing, you know!”
Her lip trembled. She replied with a catch in her voice: “I am running away!”
“Oh, running away!” said Mr. Standen, satisfied.
“I could not bear it another instant!” declared Kitty, gripping her hands together in her lap.
“Very understandable,” said Freddy sympathetically. “Most uncomfortable house I ever stayed in! Devilish bad cook, too. Not surprised the old gentleman has stomach trouble. Quite right to run away.”
“It wasn’t that! Only when Uncle Matthew put me in that dreadful position, and Dolph offered for me, and then Hugh — Hugh !—I wished I had never been born!”
Mr. Standen had no difficulty in appreciating this. He said with considerable feeling: “By Jupiter, yes! Not to be wondered at. I wouldn’t have Hugh, if I were you, Kit. You’d find him a dead bore. Handsome fellow, of course, but too mackerel-backed, if you ask me. Never saw anyone make a worse bow. Offered to teach him once, but all he did was to look down his nose, and say it was very obliging of me, but he wouldn’t trouble me. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t. Only did it because everyone knows he’s a cousin of mine.”
“Oh, he is the stiffest thing in nature!” declared Kitty. “But I didn’t care for that! Only he said he would marry me because if he didn’t I should be left d-destitute upon the
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