“You're a good sort, 'Bella,” murmured Missy, not particularly touched, but in a grateful tone enough. “You always were. There, that'll do. Fancy you not even being choked off yet—and me like this!”
“Fancy you being back again, Missy! That's the grand thing. I can hardly credit it even now. But you're terribly wet, poor dear! It's dreadful for you, Missy, it is indeed!”
“Oh, that's nothing; it did rain pretty hard, but there'll be some more in a minute, so it would come to the same thing in any case.”
“Then you have walked, and were caught in it on the road?”
“Do I look as if I'd ridden? Yes, and it was a pretty long road——”
“From Melbourne?—I should think it was.” Missy laughed.
“From Melbourne, that's no distance. I've travelled more than twice as far since morning, my dear, and I shall have it to travel all over again before to-morrow morning.”
“Then you haven't come from Melbourne?” cried Arabella, highly amazed.
“Haven't set foot in it since I saw you last.”
“Where in the world have you been, then, Missy?”