“I called on your father this morning,” he said. “He told me you were at home—that you had run in and surprised him. I asked if he thought you would be receiving so soon, and he was so good as to reassure me. I hope I’m not intruding?”
“No,” she said. “Won’t you sit down?”
“Thank you. Shall we sit by the window here?” He looked at her and laughed. “Your father seemed to be in a temper.... Actually he was peevish at you. I really don’t think he liked the idea of my coming to call, but I smoothed him down splendidly. He thawed and admitted that you and he had been having a little disagreement.”
“Did he tell you what the disagreement was?” she said, directly.
“No, indeed,” said Cantor, with lifted brows, “but I gather he was really angry with you. Said something about shutting you up and that sort of nonsense out of the Victorian era.”
“If you could see the brand-new lock on my door you wouldn’t call it nonsense.”
“Actually! Well, well, I knew he got pretty savage sometimes, but to lock you in—well, I am astonished. But I’m the prince come to rescue you from the enchantment. Now do you regard me as a particularly steady and trustworthy young man?”
“I’ve never thought about it,” she said.
“I must be,” he said, gaily, “for I suggested taking you for a motor ride, and maybe to dinner some place in the country, and here I am. He was crusty about it for a few minutes, but I convinced him you’d be safe with me.”
“Safe with you.... Yes, you must have convinced him of that. I’m sure he wouldn’t allow me to go out of the house with anybody he didn’t trust fully.” She eyed him without enthusiasm. She was about to add something, but thought better of it. Then: “Do you mean that father has constituted you my escort? Is that it? That I’m to be allowed to go abroad with you—to keep an eye on me?”