“Well, how shall I be? do you want me to be compromised? I declare you have no more feeling than a stone.”
“May—dear May!”
“It’s quite true. I’m disgraced by my family at every turn. What with brothers turning common soldiers, and horrors in the house, and—”
“My dear Mrs Burnett, this is an unexpected pleasure,” said Sir Harry Payne, coming up with Lord Carboro’, who managed to cut in before Rockley, who was approaching Claire.
“Oh, what a wicked, wicked story-teller you are!” said May, with childish playfulness, as Sir Harry remained by her side, while Lord Carboro’ led off Claire. “You knew I was coming.”
“I did, I did,” he whispered passionately.
“Hush! Don’t go on like that. Everybody is watching us.”
“Then when will you give me a chance to see you alone?”
“Oh, I couldn’t think of such a thing.”
“May! dearest May.”