She took up a pen. Sir Philip drew his chair nearer to hers.
"How shall you decline?" he asked.
Elizabeth thought him rather curious, but as he was partly interested in the matter, she replied at once:
"I shall be able to tell her fortunately, that we are expecting some friends to stay with us the week after next."
"And if she should invite the friends?"
"Nay, that would be very malicious," said Elizabeth, laughing. "But supposing such a case," said Sir Philip.
"Still fortune favours me," said Elizabeth, "for the friends we expect are an elderly couple, who certainly would not go to a ball."
"If the lady has a great interest in your coming, I think she would hardly give you up so easily," remarked Sir Philip.
"Ah! Sir Philip," said Elizabeth turning to him with a smile and a blush, "you chanced to hear what my father and I were talking about. Happily there is no one whom I should so little regret overhearing us."
"And why so?"