“I will show you the rose orchard,” went on the Earl. “Come with me.”
“No, thank you,” said Patty, turning again to the gardener. She was absurdly placed, and she felt a little embarrassed. But, on the other hand, she had pledged her word, and a silly performance it was! But she would keep it, at least until Lady Hamilton released her from her promise. Patty’s ideas of honour were, perhaps, a little strained, but she took the promise of that burlesque document as seriously as if it had been of national importance. And now she was in a dilemma. To refuse to walk with the Earl was so rude, and yet to talk with him was to break her pledged word.
The gardener went on about his work, and the other two stood silent. For the first time in her life, Patty had a really difficult situation to cope with. If she could have laughed and talked naturally, it would have been easy to explain matters. But that absurd paper sealed her lips. Oh, why had she been so foolish?
She did not look at the Earl, but he gazed fixedly at her.
“I don’t understand,” he said. “Why are you so changed from last evening?”
Patty thought hard. She was allowed the “civilities of the day,” so she must depend on those.
“Isn’t it a charming morning?” she said, without, however, turning toward the man at her side.
“It is indeed. But why are you such an enigma? Are all Americans so puzzling?”
“And isn’t the rose garden wonderful?” went on Patty, still looking off in the distance.
“Wonderful, of course. Please look at me. I believe, after all, you’re Miss Fairfield’s younger sister! Ah, I have guessed you at last!”