“Here is my sister,” said Alvar, with the oddest sort of simplicity, and yet with a tone that conveyed a sort of reproach to Rupert and—for the first time—of proprietorship in Nettie.
Rupert burst into a shout of laughter: “My dear fellow, what are you going to tell us?”
“She is a young girl; surely even here you do not say everything to her?” said Alvar, looking perplexed.
“By Jove, no!” said Rupert; “not exactly.”
“Since Nettie is here, we should not have asked you to tell us anything we did not wish her to hear,” said Cheriton, with a sense of annoyance that Alvar should be laughed at.
“You did not ask me,” said Alvar quietly.
At this moment Bob called Nettie so emphatically, that she was obliged unwillingly to go away.
“Now then, Alvar,” said Rupert, “now for it. We won’t be shocked. Tell us how you work the duennas.”
“It would not have been well to explain that to Nettie,” said Alvar seriously.
“Why not?” said Jack, suddenly boiling up. “Do you think she would ever cheat or want a duenna? English girls can always be trusted!”