Fanny called anxiously after her—“Not a word of me!”
Reluctantly Mrs Ravenhill consented, though she declined to offer the bait of a signature. She felt that Fanny’s love must be real, since it could not have sprung from imaginary causes.
“And the man is a gentleman,” she said.
Millie sighed and owned amazement.
“So that no one has really the right to object. I have long wished her to marry, and her own heart is more to be trusted than Milborough. He shall be asked to luncheon, and shall have his opportunity. Whether he’ll take it!”
This communicated to Fanny by Millie, she was dolefully certain that he would not come.
“Don’t you think he may read encouragement?”
“Dear man, yes! But he’ll think himself bound to quash encouragement. And if he should come, and turns pink—I shall inevitably be cross. This is your doing, Millie! I’ll—”
She threatened.
“What?”