She caught the words, “You kissed him!” and poor Ida’s face was scarlet.
The lady paused, dropped the screen quietly, and crept cautiously away, marvelling much at what she had heard and seen.
“Oh, you odious boy!” exclaimed Miss Dacre angrily.
“Yes, you may think me as odious as they make ’em, and call me any name you jolly well please, as long as you are nice to Edgar.”
“If you ever tell him——” she began in a choked voice, “if you ever——”
“I swear on my solemn word of honour, as an officer in his Majesty’s Navy, that I never, never will. Is it Pax?”
“I suppose so—but, remember, I bind myself to nothing.”
Bobby stooped, in his best dramatic style, and bowed over her hand—which he released. Then he stood up and looked about for his hat, which he put on, stuffing the wig in his pocket.
“My train goes at seven o’clock,” he announced, “and I must be off. Will you give me a bit of a note so that Edgar and I may part friends?”
“I never came across such a boy!” she declared, as she moved to the writing-table.