Mr. Brace was so kind, and tried all the time to be so sympathetic and helpful. I shall never forget his goodness. And he was really most apologetic about not having rushed to help Aunt Anastasia the minute I said anything about it.
"You see, I really think she would have preferred not to speak to me," he said. Then anxiously: "You are not annoyed with me, Miss Lovelace? You don't feel I could have done anything else?"
"Of course, you couldn't," I said.
"It seems too bad, the first time you asked me to do anything," he muttered over his plate. "I who want so to do things for you."
"Oh, please don't," I said quickly.
He said: "I am afraid you are a little annoyed with me, Beatrice——"
"Indeed I'm not," I protested through all the racket of Vi Vassity's talk above the pretty flowery table, "only——"
"Only what?"
"Well, I don't think I said you might call me that," I said, colouring.
He lowered his voice and said earnestly: "Are you going to say I may? I know it's not yet quite a week since I asked you. But couldn't I have my answer before that? I want so to take you away from all these people."