“Now, Kitty, don’t be missish! You know you are! Papa was saying only the other day that you have a great deal of countenance. Of course, the thing that particularly pleases Mama is that you have such excellent taste. She sets the greatest store by that, you know, and says she shall be very glad to take you about with her as soon as she is able, because you will do us all such credit! Shall you be going out? If you are in Bond Street, I wish you will take back The Pastor’s Fireside to Hookham’s—unless you mean to read it yourself, but I do not at all recommend it!”
She then departed, leaving her guest to peruse the morning papers before sallying forth on her errand. She had just put on her hat and pelisse, and. was descending the stairs to the hall when Lord Dolphinton, having tugged violently at the bell and banged the knocker several times for good measure, was admitted into the house.
“Miss Charing!” uttered his lordship, in agitated accents.
“I fancy, my lord, that Miss has but this instant stepped out, but I will enquire,” bowed Skelton.
“Wait for her!” said Dolphinton, thrusting his hat and cane upon the slightly startled butler. “Must see her! Important!”
“Good gracious, Dolph, whatever is the matter?” exclaimed Kitty, hurrying down the stairs. Dolphinton clutched her hand, and said in a gasp: “Must see you!”
“Yes, yes, of course!” said Kitty. “Come into the breakfast-parlour, and tell me all about it!”
He allowed himself to be led into this apartment; but when she had shut the door, and pushed him gently into a chair by the fire, he seemed to find the greatest difficulty in enunciating a word. He sat opening and shutting his mouth for some moments, staring at her with such an expression of misery on his face that she became alarmed, and begged him to tell her if anything terrible had happened to Miss Plymstock.
He swallowed convulsively. “Not Hannah. Me! Don’t know what to do. Obliged to offer for you again!”
She could not help laughing. “Now, Dolph, don’t be absurd! I collect that your Mama has been teasing you?” He nodded. “Says I must sweep you off your feet. I don’t want to. Don’t want to sweep anybody off her feet. Not even Hannah. Don’t know how. Besides, Freddy wouldn’t like it. Might call me out. Not going to fight a duel with Freddy! Won’t do it! I like Freddy! Like him better than Hugh, or—”