‘Has anything happened? Has he made himself disagreeable? I thought I had pretty well silenced him.’
Tor could not but smile, as he answered:
‘I thought you must have been talking to him. He seemed as if he had been driven to desperation.’
‘Desperate, is he?’ questioned Miss Marjory briskly. ‘How very amusing! I must certainly see what can be done for him. Mind you ask him here for a few days. I think it is time he was brought under our jurisdiction. I will keep an eye upon him, when once we get him to Ladywell.’
‘I will ask him, certainly. Whether he will come, is a different matter.’
‘You have not quarrelled, have you?’
‘No; but he nearly lost his temper. He does not, I am sure, feel anything but enmity towards me. He may not care to become my guest.’
‘And how do you feel?’
‘Strange to say, I can’t help liking him, though he is so troublesome. I’m sure I have never known him under his present name, but I am equally sure that I have known him and liked him at some time or other, and I can’t shake off the old feeling of liking. I suppose he was some old chum of—of—Tor’s, you know. When he comes back, I dare say it will be all clear.’
There was no time for private conference now. People were looking impatiently at Tor, as if to suggest that he should institute the needful formalities.