“She—Miss Kinross—was good enough to try to help me to—an interview—a very [p102] short one—with you,” said Miss Bibby, gathering breath and strength with the opening of her mouth.
“An interview! And my sister—my sister, Kate Kinross—is party to it!”
“She was willing to help another woman,” said Miss Bibby.
“Ah,” said Hugh, “I see, the two of you have plotted together to entrap a defenceless man.”
Miss Bibby ventured on a faint smile, for the author was certainly smiling now. How was she to know, as Kate might have done, that it was his dangerous smile?
“Well, I hope you are going to forgive me, and grant my request,” she said.
“And if I don’t—if contumaciously I refuse?” said Hugh.
Surely Miss Bibby’s prayer for courage was answered. She looked him gently in the eyes.
“I should try again,” she said; and when he laughed at her fluttering audacity, she actually added, “and still again.”
“I see, I see,” he said, “I’m plainly powerless. Well, ‘if ’twere done at all, then ’twere well it were done quickly.’ Fire away, Miss Bibby; just regard me as a lamb led to the slaughter.” There was a twinkle in his eye so demoniac that Kate would have been truly alarmed.