"Oh no," answered Brinsley, promptly. "I've only just come—at least it seems so to me," he added, smiling at Fanny across the tea-table.
Lawrence thought he must have been in the room more than half an hour, but the sisters were all delighted by the news that their idol meant to stay some time longer.
"How nice it would be if everybody made such speeches!" sighed Miss Augusta to Lawrence, who was next to her. "Such a charming way of making Fanny feel that she talks well! I'm sure he's really been here some time."
"He has," answered Lawrence, absently and without lowering his voice enough, for Brinsley immediately glanced at him.
"We've been having such a pleasant talk about the dogs and horses," said the Canadian, willing to be disagreeable to the one other man present. "I'm afraid we've bored Mr. Lawrence to death, Miss Trehearne—he doesn't seem to care for those things as much as we do."
"I don't know anything about them," answered the young man.
"I'm afraid you'll bore yourself in Bar Harbour, then," observed Mr. Brinsley. "What can you find to do all day long?"
"Nothing. I'm an artist."
"Ah? That's very nice—you'll be able to go out sketching with Miss Augusta—long excursions, don't you know? All day—"
"Oh, I shouldn't dare to suggest such a thing!" cried Miss Augusta.