Deborah coloured, and said: “You should not have come, Miss Ravenscar. I am persuaded your brother would not wish you to visit this house.”
“Oh, pooh! Who cares for Max?” said his sister scornfully.
“He will know nothing about it, in any event. And if you are going to be my cousin, there can be no objection to my visiting you. I must tell you that I am very glad you are to marry Adrian.”
“Are you?” asked Deborah, surprised. She led Arabella to the sofa. “I cannot think why you should be!”
“Well, I am glad now, because I like you,” replied Arabella, seating herself, and turning towards Deborah with a pretty, confiding air. “I was glad before, because my Mama, and Aunt Selina, had made the stupidest plan to marry me to Adrian, which is a thing neither of us wanted in the very least. Of course, they could not have prevailed with us, because we decided long ago that we should not suit, but you have no idea how tiresome it is to have people making such schemes for one!”
“Your brother too, no doubt, desired this marriage?”
“I daresay he does, not that he has ever said a word to me about it, for the only thing he said to me about being married was that I am too young and silly to think of such a thing, which is absurd. But I don’t care for what Max says, in any event. I shall marry whom I choose, and when I choose! I have very nearly run away to be married several times already.”
Miss Grantham could not help laughing at this. “Do you change your mind so often, Miss Ravenscar?”
“Yes; isn’t it dreadful?” sighed Arabella, shaking her head. “I have been in love a score of times already! And the odd thing is that each time it happens I do truly feel quite sure that it is for always. But somehow it never is. That is why Mama has brought me to London. She has such poor health, you see, that she finds me a sad trial. She said Max must look after me, and naturally I was transported, because I like being in London, and going to parties. In fact, it is just what I hoped would happen!”
“You do not anticipate, I collect, that your brother may look after you too strictly?”