“No, we haven’t. I made some suggestion of the kind, but Miss Bellairs didn’t fall in with it. She won’t even let me ask her father’s consent just yet.”
“Mr. Ellerton proposes not to announce our—anything—for a few days.”
“Well,” said John, “I shall insist on an announcement very shortly, and you ought to do the same, Mary. We know the evils—” He checked himself, but Mary was not embarrassed.
“Of secret engagements?” she said calmly. “We do indeed.”
“Besides it’s a bore. I couldn’t go with Miss Bellairs to the theatre to-night, because she said it would look too marked.”
“Yes, and Mr. Ellerton said that if he dined here he might as well announce our engagement from the statue of Strasburg.”
John frowned, and Mary perceiving the bent of his thoughts ventured to say, though with a timid air unusual to her:
“I think they’re the least little bit inconsiderate, don’t you, John—after all we have done for them?”
“Well, I don’t mind admitting that I do feel that. I do not consider that Miss Bellairs quite appreciates the effort I have made.”
Mary sighed.