“What a beauty!” laughed Ronald.
“He is not at all ugly, you know,” said Joe, still blushing.
“Shall I ever see him?”
“You will see him to-night at Mrs. Wyndham’s; he told me he was going.”
“Oh–are you going too, Joe?”
“No. I have another dinner-party. You will have to do without me.”
“I suppose I shall always have to do without you, now.” said Ronald disconsolately.
“Don’t be silly, Ronald!”
“Silly!” repeated Surbiton in injured tones. “You call it silly to be cut up when one is treated as you have treated me! It is too bad, Joe!”
“You are a dear, silly old thing,” said his cousin affectionately, “and I will say it as much as I please. It is ever so much better, because we can always be like brother and sister now, and we shall not marry and quarrel over everything till we hate each other.”