“You would like the way I’d take care of you, I promise you that!”
“Why, how would it be?”
Patty knew she was playing with fire. She knew that unless she meant to encourage Philip Van Reypen, she ought not to lead him on in this way. But Patty was very feminine, and the temptation to know just what he meant was very strong.
“Well,” Philip laid his warm hand gently on hers, “in the first place, you should never know a care or a trouble that I could bear for you.”
“H’m,” said Patty, “that’s comforting, but not so very entertaining.”
“You little witch! Do you want entertainment? Well, then, I’d make it my life work to invent new entertainments for you every day. How’s that?”
“That’s better,” and naughty Patty showed animated delight at the prospect. “What would the entertainments be like?”
“That’s telling. They’d be surprises, and I can’t divulge their secrets till you do come to live here?”
“I did live here once,” said Patty, smiling at the recollection. “As Lady Van’s companion.”
“And now won’t you come and live here as my companion?”