"Yes, now. We can spare you so long as that."
"Oh, with the greatest pleasure!" cried Miss Flirt, making a profound courtesy; while Miss Flyaway called after him: "Don't hurry yourself, we'll wait."
"Tell him you wouldn't go away for anything," said the irrepressible Catty.
"You saucy monkey!" said Miss Flirt. "You ought to be in bed and asleep."
"I don't believe you were, at my age," said Catty, with better logic than she knew.
"Hush, Catty!" said her aunt. "Mr. Carr, who is that officer talking with Mrs. Seaton?"
"The arch-fiend, we call him," said Carr, with a laugh. "He's the professor of confusion worse confounded, Mrs. Gresham. Do you want him brought up, too?"
"Thank you, no: here comes Joseph. How do you do, Mr. Kindred?" And Mrs. Gresham gave Magnus a warm clasp of the hand that went to his heart.
"Come and sit here by me," she said, making room for Magnus. "I suppose you enjoy these concerts very much?"
"Sometimes," Magnus answered her. "They make a change."