“But would grandmamma ever let us do it?” said Henrietta.
“I will manage,” said Beatrice. “I will make grandpapa agree to it, and then she will not mind. Think how he enjoyed it.”
“Before so many people!” said Henrietta. “O, Queenie, it will never do! It would be a regular exhibition.”
“My dear, what nonsense!” said Beatrice. “Why, it is all among friends and neighbours.”
“Friends and neighbours to you,” said Henrietta.
“And yours too. Fred, she is deserting! I thought you meant to adopt or inherit all Knight Sutton and its neighbourhood could offer.”
“A choice inheritance that neighbourhood, by your account,” said Fred. “But come, Henrietta, you must not spoil the whole affair by such nonsense and affectation.”
“Affectation! O, Fred!”
“Yes, to be sure it is,” said Fred: “to set up such scruples as these. Why, you said yourself that you forget all about the spectators when once you get into the spirit of the thing.”
“And what is affectation,” said Beatrice, seeing her advantage, “but thinking what other people will think?”