“Are you quite mad?” asked Lady Jane, breathless in her amazed surprise.
“Impudent puppy!” the Colonel cried, getting red in the face. “My dear, the girl must leave the house this instant!”
“I’ll send for her and tell her so at once!”
“It’s not of the least use to get so excited,” said Lionel, calmly sitting down and taking up his paper again. “We shall be married in June, and there’s nothing more to be said.”
Thereupon he appeared to go on reading, without paying any more attention to his father and mother.
“This is monstrous!” Lady Jane was beside herself. “Lionel!” She came and stood beside his chair. “You’re not in earnest! This is some silly attempt at a joke!”
“Drop it, my boy!” cried the Colonel, taking the cue from his wife.
“I’m not joking.” Lionel looked up quietly. “You’ll be very fond of her some day, when you get over the idea that she’s been governess to the girls. Really, there’s nothing to be said. I made up my mind long ago; and as the estate is entailed you can’t even cut me off with a shilling! Happily, you are quite powerless, for we can live very comfortably on my five hundred a year.”
Lady Jane glared, and the Colonel put on that singularly disagreeable expression which has come into use amongst Englishmen since they gave up swearing as a means of showing what they are thinking about. It is a particularly unpleasant look, and bodes evil when it appears.
“Miss Scott will go at once, of course,” Lionel added, as they said nothing. “I only ask you not to be rude to her.”