"Very well—I will. I will marry you. Only—you must know that I am an odious person, selfish and moody, and——"
But she could not finish her sentence, because Joyselle had her in his arms and was kissing her.
"I will be your servant and your slave," he told her, with very bad judgment but much sincerity. "I will serve you on my knees."
"Now you must—buck up—and not let them see to-night. Mother will be cross at first. And—I must write Ponty before we tell."
Her practical tone struck chill on Joyselle's glowing young ear, but he followed her obediently to the house. As they reached the door the opening bar of Mendelssohn's Wedding March rang out, played with a mastery of the pianola that, in that house, only Kingsmead was capable of.
On entering, Brigit's face was scarlet. She knew that her brother was welcoming the wrong bridegroom. And it suddenly occurred to her that it was awkward to be engaged to two men at once.
"I say——" began Tommy as he saw Joyselle, and she interrupted him hastily. "Play something of Sinding's, dear," she said, and the boy complied. But his eye was horribly knowing, and hard to bear.
CHAPTER FOUR
Lady Brigit leaned back in her corner and surveyed the otherwise empty compartment with a sigh of relief. She knew that her face still bore signs of the anger roused by her mother in their recent interview, and she felt the necessity of looking as savage as she felt.