“Why, to the Dandos. I wrote to your friend—was it very unmaidenly of me? and the invitation came back directly. O, Richard, what a glorious little man he is, loving you so, and, I think, attached to me too—but of course you told me that.”
“Did I? So you went? And what did you think of Mrs Dando?”
“Now, Richard! I won’t answer you as you want. She is immense.”
“Enormous.”
“I didn’t mean that. To hear the way they both spoke up for you.”
“Did she too? But I really had no reason to suppose she would—may her shadow never grow less. But Johnny, of course.”
“Of course. He is mad about the way you are being treated, and insists on seeing you through to the end, and establishing your claim before the world.”
“I am so blessed in my love and friendship, darling, that I live in a perpetual fools’ paradise about myself and my merits. And so that is the explanation of this escapade, I suppose.”
“Yes; he brought me.”
“Who? Johnny?”