“Please, Miss—”
“Bother—bother—bother!” cried Fin. “Don’t you see Miss Rea’s poorly? Go and say we’ll be down soon.”
“But, please, Miss, Sir Hampton sent Edward for me, and jumped on me horrid. He said it was my fault you weren’t dressed, and your dear ma looks quite frightened with the people coming.”
“Go and say we’ll come down as soon as my sister’s better—there!”
She half pushed the girl from the room, and then turned to Tiny.
“Now, look here, Tiny—you’re very fond of that wicked Richard Trevor, bad as he’s behaved to you.”
Tiny gave her a pitiful look.
“Then I say, once for all, it would be a piece of horrible wickedness for you to let papa frighten you into this engagement. Now, tell me directly how it was. You ought to have told me before. If you had been a good, wise sister, you would.”
“Oh, Tin, I could not tell you!” said Tiny, plaintively. “You had just come in from the square, and looked so happy about—”
“I didn’t—I wasn’t—I hate him; and I won’t listen to him any more till you are happy,” burst out Fin.