“You are the strangest girl!” he exclaimed. “Why don’t you mean to marry him? I am sure you cannot hope for a better offer! They say he will come into a very pretty fortune, and aunt tells me he is perfectly amiable. I do not know what can ail you!”
“I am not in love with him,” replied Deborah, adding with rather a saucy smile: “You will understand that, I am persuaded!”
He sighed. “Yes, indeed I do, but the cases are not the same. You do not love anyone else, do you?”
“Certainly not, but I am not too old yet to fall in love, I hope
He looked at her rather anxiously. “My aunt mentioned Lord Ormskirk, Deb. I could not well make out what she meant: you know how she will run on! But it did not sound to me—In short, you are not contemplating anything of clandestine nature, are you?”
“No, no!” she assured him. “You need have no fears!”
“I was sure you could not be! But everything seems to me topsy-turvy here now—But I can trust you!”
“I hope so indeed. But can I trust you, Kit? This is very: shocking news, that you are meaning to be married!”
He laughed, and squeezed her arm. “You will always funning! Wait until you see her! You will understand then. She is the tiniest, daintiest little darling you can imagine, at with such countenance, such pretty, taking ways! Only ten one they will not let her marry me, more particularly since her aunt has allowed her house to become a haunt of gamesters. I was never so vexed!”
“If you do not like it, let me advise you to be less expensive said Deborah roundly. “It is not for you to reproach Aunt Lizzie, after all! You cannot suppose that she keeps a gaminghouse from her own choice.”