"Why, Kate, is this your hospitality? is this the way you receive visitors, demanding their business in this pistol-to-the-head fashion? Suppose I were to say that my pressing business was to look at and to talk to you..
"No, no, Simnel; no nonsense. At least not now, please; as much as you like when you've answered me. There hasn't been a--I mean he hasn't--you haven't--confound it, Simnel, why don't you help me?" and she stamped her foot upon the floor in rage.
"Kate, Kate," said he, still quietly, though this little evidence of her excited state touched him very deeply, "I can't tell what is the matter with you to-day. I've come to talk to you and to tell you a little news about yourself--that's all."
"About myself? not about--I mean about no one else? Nothing has happened? nothing--"
"Nothing that I know of. I only arrived in town late last night, and I have seen no one this morning. What on earth did you expect? Now you're flushing again! My dear Kate, you're not well, child; you must--"
"I'm all right now," said she, withdrawing her hand; "I'm all right again. It was only some stupid nonsense; I'm a bit nervous, I think.. I'll have some change of air, and see what that will do. I'm as nervous as a cat. Had a girl here for a lesson yesterday. Fine girl, sister of Dick Hamilton's--Dirty Dick's, you know; and she wanted to see me put her horse at the brook. The brute refused, and I couldn't put him at it the second time--lost my pluck--funked it myself--fancy that! First time such a thing ever happened to me!"
"You want change and rest, Kitty," said Simnel, kindly. "And you want rest of mind much more than mere respite from bodily fatigue. Your life lately has been past in a series of storms, in which you have been tossed about, and whirled here and there, in a manner which is now beginning to tell upon you. Now, all these starts and flushes and tremors to-day are the result of some fresh worry. What happened yesterday?"
"Happened yesterday?" echoed Kate, flushing deeply as she spoke; "nothing."
"Who was here?" asked Simnel, in a mild tone of voice, but fixing his eyes full on her.
"Here? who? How dare you question me in this way? Who are you to come worming and prying into my affairs? I never asked you to come, and I sha'n't be sorry how soon you go!"