Beatrice burst into a laugh full of pure mirth. “You are a joke!” she cried. “Poor Peter!”
“Let’s go back to the house,” said he angrily.
“Yes—to tell the glad news.”
“Now, don’t put on with me, Beatrice. Do you think I haven’t got good sense? I know that in reality you are delighted. You seem to have a prejudice against doing anything in the ordinary way. You want to make me feel in the wrong—to get an advantage over me from the start. But I’m on to you. So—come along!”
Beatrice laughed again. And again she said, “Poor Peter!”
XII
UNDER COVER OF NIGHT
Back at the house Beatrice and Peter went into the east drawing-room, where Mrs. Richmond was giving tea to her half dozen guests. As they entered from the hall Richmond appeared in the opposite doorway of the billiard room. He swept Peter’s face with one of his keen glances. As soon as the agitations and readjustments incident to new arrivals were over, he took his daughter aside.
“Been quarreling with Peter?” said he.
She turned her head, called out: “Hanky—just a minute. You’ll excuse him, Mrs. Martini?” And when Peter, red and ill at ease, was with them in the deep window, she said: “Tell him.”
“Your daughter has—has consented,” said Peter.