‘Mama!’ cried Valetta, indignantly, ‘he did not shoot at her; he only pretended, and shot the old crocodile-bench. He never meant any more. It was only play.’
‘Have you not been forbidden to shoot in the direction of any person?’
‘Nor I didn’t!’ said Wilfred. ‘I only shot the crocodile. I never tried to hit her. She is quite big enough to miss.’
‘And she did look such a nice Croat, mamma,’ added Valetta. ‘We were scouts out of the Thorn Fortress, Willie and I, and it was such a jolly dodge to steal upon one of the enemy.’
‘You should have warned her.’
Then it would not have been a surprise,’ said Val, seriously.
‘Was she not at play with you?’
‘No, mamma,’ said Mysie. ‘We asked her, and she would not. I say,’ pausing in consternation, ‘Dolores, was it you that came and called at the door of the Wolf’s passage?’
‘Of course. I wanted to show Gillian how Wilfred behaved to me.’
I thought it was Fergus come home to be the enemy.’