‘He did not salute you,’ Nesta remarked, to justify her for not having responded.
The lady breathed a low thunder: ‘Coward!’
‘He cannot have intended to insult you,’ said Nesta.
‘That man knows I will not notice him. He is a beast. He will learn that I carry a horsewhip.’
‘Are you not taking a little incident too much to heart?’
The sigh of the heavily laden came from Mrs. Marsett.
‘Am I pale? I dare say. I shall go on my knees tonight hating myself that I was born “one of the frail sex.” We are, or we should ride at the coward and strike him to the ground. Pray, pray do not look distressed! Now you know my Christian name. That dog of a man barks it out on the roads. It doesn’t matter.’
‘He has offended you before?’
‘You are near me. They can’t hurt me, can’t touch me, when I think that I ‘m talking with you. How I envy those who call you by your Christian name!’
‘Nesta,’ said smiling Nesta. The smile was forced, that she might show kindness, for the lady was jarring on her.