He drew up another chair, and seated himself in it. “Really? I am persuaded I shall much prefer to be told it by you. I always find it so difficult to follow Freddy when he tries to explain anything to me.”
“Yes, but it wouldn’t be the thing for me to tell you, sir!” objected Kitty.
“A delicate matter, I apprehend?” She nodded. “In that case, I cannot too strongly recommend you not to entrust the task of explaining it to Freddy,” he said.
She drew a resolute breath. “Well, I must say it does seem hard that everything should fall on poor Freddy,” she agreed. “The—the truth is, sir, that he has been so obliging as to—to offer for me!”
His lordship sustained this with fortitude, but there was a slight pause before he said: “This is very sudden!”
“I am afraid,” said Miss Charing guiltily, “that it is a disagreeable surprise to you, sir!”
“Not at all!” he replied courteously. “I own to some slight feeling of surprise, but I assure you it is not disagreeable!”
Much cheered, Kitty said gratefully: “Thank you! I did not think of it at first, but while I have been waiting here I began to think that you might dislike it excessively, and to wonder if perhaps—”
“If perhaps—?” he prompted, as she broke off.
“I—we—should not have done it! Only—well, sir, it was all Uncle Matthew’s fault! He has made an odious scheme to leave me his whole fortune if I will marry one of his great-nephews, and he sent for them to come to Arnside, so that he could tell them of it, and I might choose the one I liked the best.” She added: “And however unbecoming it is in me to appear critical of one who is my benefactor, I must say that I think it was a most improper arrangement!”