‘He is a botanist, and would bore me with looking for weeds. No, I will have you, or stay at home.’
Claude proposed several others as companions, but Lord Rotherwood treated them all with as much disdain as Claude had shown for Germany, and ended with ‘Now, Claude, you know my determination, only tell me why you will not go?’
‘Then I do tell you, Rotherwood, the truth is, that those boys, Maurice and Reginald, are perfectly unmanageable when they are left alone with the girls.’
‘Have a tutor for them,’ said the Marquis.
‘Very much obliged to you they would be for the suggestion,’ said Claude.
‘Oh! but Claude,’ said Lily.
‘I really cannot go. They mind no one but the Baron and me, and besides that, it would be no small annoyance to the house; ten tutors could not keep them from indescribable bits of mischief. I undertook them these holidays, and I mean to keep them.’
Lilias was just flying off to her father, when Claude caught hold of her, saying, ‘I desire you will not,’ and she stood still, looking at her cousin in dismay.
‘It is all right,’ cried the Marquis, joyfully, ‘it is only to set off three weeks later.’
‘Oh! I thought you would not go a week later for the universe,’ said Claude, smiling.