"Excellent! and I'll do it, if you like."
"Could you bear the reflex of the woman?"
"Don't you know that I am not in the habit of sitting on the extreme edge…?"
Adela started, breathing piteously: "Wilfrid, dear! you want something of me—what is it?"
"Simply that you should behave civilly to your father's guest."
"I had a fear, dear; but I think too well of you to entertain it for a moment. If civility is to win Besworth for you, there is my hand."
"Be civil—that's all," said Wilfrid, pressing the hand given. "These consultations of yours and acting in concert—one tongue for three women- -are a sort of missish, unripe nonsense, that one sees only in bourgeoise girls—eh? Give it up. Lady Charlotte hit on it at a glance."
"And I, my chameleon brother, will return her the compliment, some day," Adela said to herself, as she hurried back to her sisters, bearing a message for Cornelia. This lady required strong persuasion. A word from Adela: "He will think you have some good reason to deny him a private interview," sent her straight to the stairs.
Wilfrid was walking up and down, with his arms folded and his brows bent.
Cornelia stood in the doorway.
"You desire to speak to me, Wilfrid? And in private?"