‘Going on?’ said Marianne, ‘Alethea is speaking to Mrs. Hawkesworth.’
‘Nonsense, I know better, Marianne. I have a suspicion that I could tell what the Captain was about yesterday when he walked off after dinner.’
‘How very wise you think you look, Reginald!’ said Marianne, laughing heartily.
‘But tell us; do tell us, Marianne,’ said Phyllis.
‘Tell you whet?’
‘Whether William is going to marry Miss Weston,’ said the straightforward Phyllis. ‘Redgie says so—only tell us. Oh! it would be so nice!’
‘How you blurt it out, Phyl,’ said Reginald. ‘You do not know how those things are managed. Mind, I found it out all myself. Just say, Marianne. Am not I right?’
‘I do not know whether I ought to tell,’ said Marianne.
‘Oh! then it is all right,’ said Reginald, ‘and I found it out. Now, Marianne, there is a good girl, tell us all about it.’
‘You know I could not say “No” when you asked me,’ said Marianne; ‘I could not help it really; but pray do not tell anybody, or Captain Mohun will not like it.’