"We are—what the papers call, primitive people. It seemed queer and funny to me when I came back. But the ones I love were here."
She paused suddenly and blushed with what seemed to him uncalled for vividness. She thought how she had been offered to him and he had declined her. It was like a sharp, sudden sting.
"I'm glad you don't——" Then she stopped short again with drooping eyes. The brown lashes were like a fringe of finest silk. How beautiful the lids were!
"Don't what?" It was a curious tone, quite as if he meant to be answered.
"Why—why—not despise us exactly, but think we are ignorant and unformed;" and she winked hard as if tears were not far off.
"My child—pardon me, you brought back the little girl that came to visit us. I do not think anything derogatory. I admire your father and he is a man that would be appreciated anywhere. And your grandparents. Your mother is a well-bred lady. I can find queer and outré people not far from us at home, all towns have them, but I should not class the Carricks nor the Bradins with them."
"Grandad is queer," she admitted. "He is Scotch-Irish. And Norry is Irish altogether, but she's the dearest, kindliest, most generous and helpful body I know. Oh, she made my childhood just one delightful fairy story with her legends and her fun, and she taught me to dance, to sing. I should want to strike any one who laughed at her!"
"Do you remember Mistress Betty Wharton?" His tone was quite serious now. "She was one of the favorites of our town. And she was charmed with you. If you hadn't been worthy of taking about, do you suppose she would have presented you among her friends and paid you so much attention? She considered you a very charming little girl. Oh, don't think any one could despise you or yours. And if you could understand how M. de Ronville longs for you, and how much pleasure another visit from you would give him, I do not think you would be hard to persuade."
He had laid the matter before her mother, who had said as before that the choice must be left with her.
He and Felix had become great friends. The boy's insatiable curiosity was devoted to really knowledgeable subjects, and was never pert or pretentious.