He restored her property to her. “How do you do? Very happy to be of assistance! Shocking robbers, these jarveys!”
The gentleman on the box began indignantly to recite the lawful charges for the hire of hackney vehicles, but when he discovered that the swell in the sixteen-caped coat had not the slightest intention of disputing these with him, changed his tone, and said that if he could have his way he would never drive any but a member of the Quality. He then pocketed the handsome sum handed up to him, winked expressively, and drove off, with a twirl of his whip.
“Oh, Mr. Standen!” faltered Olivia. “You are so very obliging! I do not know what to say! I had no notion—! My one thought was to reach dear Miss Charing, and I just hailed the first coach I saw, and jumped into it!”
The inner voice which seldom added anything to Mr. Standen’s comfort now warned him that trouble loomed in front of him. He said: “You want to see Miss Charing?”
“Oh, yes, for I am in the greatest distress, and she said that she would help me!”
“Very sorry to be obliged to disappoint you: gone out of town!” said Freddy apologetically.
This time, Miss Broughty dropped her muff as well as her reticule upon the flagway. “Gone out of town!” she repeated, looking perfectly distraught, “Oh, heavens, what shall I do?”
Freddy once more retrieved her belongings. Taking Miss Broughty’s exclamation in its most literal sense, he replied with great civility: “Very difficult for me to say. Happy to do anything in my power, but not in possession of the facts. No use asking for Miss Charing today: call again tomorrow!”
“Too late!” uttered Miss Broughty, in tragic accents. “I am lost, for there is no one I may turn to, except Mr. Westruther, and I cannot, I cannot!”
Mr. Standen now knew that his inner voice had not deceived him. His instinct was to extricate himself with what dexterity he could summon to his aid from a situation which bade fair to plunge him into the sort of embarrassment his fastidious soul loathed; but an innate chivalry bade him stand his ground. He said, with a deprecatory cough: “Very understandable! Shouldn’t turn to him, if I was you. Better tell me! Do my best to assist you: betrothed to Miss Charing, you know!”