"Aunt Priscilla has asked him to come to Moyne next Friday," she says, looking at the ground: "she is giving an At Home on that day, for him and Captain Cobbett. She says she feels it is a duty to her queen to show some attention to her servants."
In her tone, as she says this, there is a spice of that mischief that is never very far from any pretty woman.
"He is to be invited to Moyne,—to spend an entire day with you!" says Desmond, thunderstruck by this last piece of news.
"Oh, no! only part of it," says Monica, meekly.
"It is just as bad. It is disgraceful! Your aunts are purposely encouraging him to keep you away from me. Oh, why," wretchedly, "should this unlucky quarrel have arisen between our house and yours?"
"Well, that's your fault," says Monica.
"Mine?"
"Your uncle's, then. It is all the same," unjustly.
"I really can't see that," says Mr. Desmond, very righteously [aggrieved]; "that is visiting the sins of the uncles upon the nephews with a vengeance! Monica, at least promise me you won't be civil to him."
"To your uncle?"