"So he is," I said. "But that won't make any difference. You'll be 'at home' to him. Not to Mr. Burke. That's all."
"I can't be in two places at once, and they're both coming at four," argued the artless Million. "How can I say I'm not at home, when——"
"Oh, Million! It just shows you never could have been in service in very exalted situations," I laughed. "Don't you know that 'not at home' simply means you don't wish to see that particular visitor?"
Little Million's whole face was eloquent of the retort. "But I do wish to see him!" She did not say it. She gave a very hard sniff at the carnations in her hand, and suggested diffidently and rather shakily: "P'raps Mr. Brace might have liked to see another gentleman here? More company for him."
I paused before I answered.
A sudden thought had struck me.
Men are supposed to be so much better at summing up other men's characters at a glance than women are.
In spite of what Aunt Anastasia has said about "insufferable young bounders," I believe that this Mr. Reginald Brace is a thoroughly nice, clear-sighted sort of young man. I feel that one could rely upon his judgment of people. I'm sure that one could trust him to be sincere and fair.
Why not consult him about this new, would-be friend of Million's?
Why not be guided by him? He was the only available man I could be guided by, after all.