He was evidently a good deal moved. Kitty said placably: “Oh, very well! I’ll cry off. There can be no objection to that!”
“Yes, but it would make me look like a flat!” protested Freddy.
“No, no! Everyone would say you were very well rid of me! Besides, I daresay it would not make such a stir after all.”
“Well, it would. Dash it, notice in the Gazette —friends felicitating one—dressparty—wedding-gifts!”
“I hadn’t thought of that,” admitted Kitty. “I don’t think we should send a notice to the Gazette.”
“I’m dashed sure we shouldn’t!” said Freddy, with feeling.
“You may easily hit upon an excuse for our keeping the engagement private. After all, it will only be for one month!”
He blinked. “But there’s no sense in being engaged for a month!”
“Freddy,” she said earnestly, “anything may happen in a month!”
“Yes, I know it may. The thing is I ain’t one of these care-for-nothings, and I don’t want anything to happen. No, and another thing! I don’t want to be roasted all over town, which I should be. Everyone knows I ain’t in the petticoat line!”