‘I haven’t.’
‘And don’t; don’t tell Wilfred, or you know how horrid he would be.’
There was a tell-tale colour in Valetta’s cheeks, by which Mysie might have discerned that Valetta had not resisted the charm of declaring ‘that she knew something,’ even though this was sure to lead to tortures of various kinds from Wilfred until it was extracted. Still the youth as yet was afraid to do much worse than look preternaturally knowing at his sister and give hints about Fangs’ holding fast and the like, but quite enough to startle her into something between being flattered and indignant. She was scarcely civil to the Captain, and felt bound to express her dislike on every possible occasion, though only to provoke a grin from Wilfred and a giggle from Valetta.
Lady Merrifield’s basket-carriage and little rough pony had been brought from Silverfold, and she took Kalliope out for quiet drives whenever it was possible; but a day of showers having prevented this, she was concerned to find herself hindered on a second afternoon. Gillian offered to be her substitute.
‘You know I always drive you, mamma.’
‘These are worse hills than at Silverfold, and I don’t want you to come down by the sea-wall.’
‘I am sure I would not go there for something, among all the stupid people.’
‘If you keep to the turnpike you can’t come to much harm with Bruno.’
‘That is awfully—I mean horribly dusty! There’s the cliff road towards Arnscombe.’
‘That is safe enough. I don’t think you could come to much real damage; but remember that for Kally a start or an alarm would be really as hurtful as an accident to a person in health.’