If so, he was speedily undeceived.
Trix flushed red and answered angrily:
"Pray don't trouble. I don't want to go."
"Perhaps afterward you might," suggested the curate, but now
rather timidly.
"I'm going out with Lord Newhaven," said she. And she added, in
an access of uncontrollable annoyance. "Go, please go. I--I
don't want you."
Jack sheered off, with a look of puzzled shamefacedness. He
disappeared into the house. Nothing passed between Miss
Trix and myself. A moment later Newhaven came out.
"Why, Miss Queenborough," said he, in apparent surprise, "Ives is
going with Mrs. Wentworth in the canoe!"
In an instant I saw what she had done. In rash presumption she
had told Newhaven that she was going with the curate--and now the
curate had refused to take her--and Ives had met him in search of
Mrs. Wentworth. What could she do? Well, she rose--or fell--to
the occasion. In the coldest of voices she said;
"I thought you'd gone for your walk."
"I was just starting," he answered apologetically, "when I met
Ives. But, as you weren't going with him----" He paused, an
inquiring look in his eyes. He was evidently asking himself why
she had not gone with the curate.
"I'd rather be left alone, if you don't mind," said she. And
then, flushing red again, she added. "I changed my mind and
refused to go with Mr. Ives. So he went off to get Mrs.
Wentworth instead.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88