“What made you think of me?”
“Well, we must have a girl in the affair, and we were very much puzzled whom to ask. If Miss Keith had been here, we should certainly have asked her.”
“Annas? Oh, how could she?” I cried.
“She has pluck enough,” said Ephraim. “Of course, Miss Drummond would have been the most natural person to play the part, but Keith would not hear of that, and Raymond doubted if she were a suitable person. With her, the Scots accent would be in the way, and rouse suspicion; and I am not sure whether she could manage such a thing in other respects. Then we thought of Hatty and you; but Hatty, I suppose, is out of the question at present.”
“Oh yes, quite,” said I.
“She would have been the very one if she had been well and strong. She has plenty of go and dash in her. But Raymond and Keith both wanted you.”
“And you did not?” said I, feeling rather mortified that Ephraim should seem to think more of Hatty than of me.
“No, I did not, Cary,” he said, in a changed voice. “You think I am paying you a poor compliment. Perhaps, some day, you will know better.”
“Does anyone in this house know of the rescue plot?”
“Mr Desborough knows that an attempt may be made, but not that you are in it. Lucette is engaged to keep the coast clear while we get away. And now, Cary, what say you?”