“I am Ursula Ellett’s friend and I’m not really very much interested in rag rugs and brooms.”
The eyes hardened from blue to ice.
“Ah, indeed!” he said with cold politeness.
“I want to see your mother and father. Ursula—”
“Miss Ellett is well, I hope.”
“As well as could be expected, considering she is among strangers, making a living for herself and her two little brothers and now the younger brother, little Philip, has been stolen from her. Yes, very well, thank you. I see I was mistaken in thinking Mr. Theodore Trask was her friend, and since I have evidently touched on an uninteresting subject, I shall ask you to stop your horses and let me get out.”
Josie was angry—so angry she felt it almost impossible to refrain from slapping the handsome face of her driver. His “Miss Ellett is well, I hope,” was what had aroused her anger. The tone with which he had made the seemingly harmless remark had enraged Josie, and the usually calm little detective was in a boiling passion.
The icy eyes melted a little, but the young man made no movement towards stopping the horses. Instead, he turned them sharply around in the avenue and headed them for the open road. With a word of encouragement the beautiful creatures were urged to greater speed. Josie was compelled to grasp her companion’s arm to steady herself. A seat in an open cutter is a precarious one when a reckless driver and his horses are feeling too full of pep.
Josie took a long breath. She couldn’t help enjoying the sensation of being forcibly carried off by an ice king, even though she did hate his superciliousness.