“You have a prejudice against me, for instance.”
“Pray, did you go to the Savoy?” inquired Rhoda absently.
“I have no intention of talking about the Savoy, Miss Nunn. It is teacup time, but as yet we have the room to ourselves.”
Rhoda went and rang the bell.
“The teacups shall come at once.”
He laughed slightly, and looked at her from beneath drooping lids. Rhoda went on with talk of trifles, until the tea was brought and she had given a cup. Having emptied it at two draughts, he resumed his former leaning position.
“Well, you were saying that you had a prejudice against me. Of course my cousin Mary is accountable for that. Mary has used me rather ill. Before ever you saw me, I represented to your mind something very disagreeable indeed. That was too bad of my cousin.”
Rhoda, sipping her tea, had a cold, uninterested expression.
“I didn’t know of this,” he proceeded, “when we met that day in the gardens, and when I made you so angry.”
“I wasn’t disposed to jest about what had happened.”