"And what did you answer?"
"Nothing so far," he replied casually, as though he had never thought of taking the matter seriously. "Of course I wanted first to talk it over with you."
"Well, what do you think?" she asked imperturbably.
"I ... shall refuse of course. I'll wire that I ... at any rate, can't come yet awhile." And he seriously explained to her that nothing would be lost by a postponement, that he would at any rate be welcomed as a special visitor, and that this pressing request was only due to an accident that one had no right to expect.
She let him go on speaking for a while, then she said: "There you go being casual again. I think you should have made a special point of answering at once and...."
"Well, and...."
"Perhaps have even taken the train there straight away this morning."
"Instead of coming out to see you—eh?" he jested.
She remained serious. "Why not?" she said, and noticing him jerk his head up in surprise, "I'm getting on very well, thank heaven, George. And even if I were a bit worse you couldn't do any good, so...."
"Yes, my child," he interrupted, "it seems to me you don't appreciate what it really means! Going there, of course, is a fairly simple matter—but—staying there! Staying there at least till Easter! The season lasts till then."