“I’m sincerely glad to hear it. What was that you were saying to Reginald last night in the conservatory when I came on the scene? He did not look a bit too well pleased to see me? Alice, have you ever begged his pardon for the way you treated him once upon a time? Tell me all about it; I know you are yearning to unbosom yourself to me,” he added with an air of frank companionship, and sitting closer to her.
“Geoffrey, your impertinence is really intolerable!” exclaimed Alice haughtily, and colouring with anger. “You quite forget yourself!”
“Ah, I thought you were in a bad humour just now,” he drawled; “I know all the symptoms so well from sad experience; so does Reginald, I am sure.”
“Don’t dare to speak to me, you have no right to talk to me in such a way, and I won’t listen to you!” exclaimed Alice with flashing eyes.
“Little Spitfire!” ejaculated Geoffrey, surveying her crimson cheeks with calm derision.
Whereupon Alice indignantly turned her back upon him and withdrew into her own corner of the nest, where she sat in silent, dignified retirement. She could see that the others were spending their time far more agreeably, and sincerely wished that she was one of the party, but her pride forbade her to move. Mary was evidently telling them an amusing story with much animation and gesticulation. A low but highly appreciative laugh from Reginald, as the tale concluded, showed that he had been an attentive listener. Raising himself on his elbow, he contributed his share to the general entertainment in a few short sentences; whatever he had said found entire favour with his audience, and elicited peals of applauding laughter from all three, as he once more subsided, and drew his hat over his eyes.
“He never thinks it worth his while to amuse me now,” thought Alice, with a half-envious, half-wistful glance in that direction.
“I’m being devoured alive by midges!” suddenly exclaimed Geoffrey, jumping up and waving his handkerchief madly to and fro. “How you can stand them I can’t imagine; they are in my hair!”—with frenzied rubbing of his lint-white locks—“my ears, my eyes! I shall go out of my mind if I stay here any longer! I say, Alice, can I speak to you now?”
“Depends altogether upon the topic you are going to broach,” replied Alice in a frosty tone.
“Don’t look so grumpy, my dear little girl,” reaching out a hand to help her to rise, and of which she availed herself.