'Thank you, Ma'am,' said Lance, bowing with his audacious sweetness; 'and please let me have Wilmet. I'd do the impositions myself, only I don't know French.'
The victims tittered uncontrollably, and Miss Maria laughed, as one who, like her neighbours, descried why Wilmet was in request. 'I will attend to these exercises, Miss Underwood,' she said. 'You must not lose this fine evening for the idleness of these young ladies.'
'Indeed, Ma'am!' began Wilmet, in a blaze of colour. 'I never thought of such a thing.'
'I daresay not, my dear,' said Miss Maria; 'but now you had better do it. I wish you a pleasant walk.'
'Lance, how could you?' broke out Wilmet, as they descended the steps. 'I never was so ashamed in my life.'
'Never mind. We are going to get blackberries at Mile End Lane, and I shall lose Stella to a dead certainty if you don't come and look after her.'
'My dear Lance, I can't go all that way without their knowing it at home.'
'Oh! that's all settled with Cherry.'
'And where's Alda?'
'Off somewhere with her Don. Come, W. W., or who knows whether Stel and I shall ever come home?'