"What do you say?" she asked.
"Well,—it's about that fellow Villars;—you will remember, I begged you to drop him; and I find him here installed as Tame cat: in fact a sort of Puss in Boots,—running the whole show!"
"That's true," admitted Nancy, "but Sir Dudley was l'ami de la maison long before Mrs. De Wolfe knew me,—and surely you can scarcely expect her to turn out her old friends on my account,—besides, he is her godson."
"So you think that sanctifies him?" shifting his bat under his arm.
"No, certainly not; but I do honestly believe, you are prejudiced and that Sir Dudley is not any worse than his neighbours; he is religious in his way too, always down to family prayers,—of course, attendance is optional,—whilst you appear with the hot dishes! He reads the Scriptures beautifully,—I've never heard the twelfth chapter of Ecclesiastes read with such expression."
"If you would only take my word for it, the Song of Solomon is a thousand times more in his line—all about my beloved, and roses, and lilies."
"Do you know, that he has a wife?" said Nancy expressively.
"No, has he? Unhappy woman! but I do happen to know, that he has run away with another man's wife! Certainly, it was years ago,—if he made any scandal with mine"—he paused and looked full into her eyes, "by Jove I would kill him,—and I should like to kill him!"
Nancy burst into a peal of laughter. "How melodramatic you are! and how you do abhor him!"
"May I ask, if he is aware, that you have a husband?" Although his manner chaffed her—his voice had a ring of earnestness.