“I wish you had not. I d-don’t care to be treated like a child, sir.”
“Content you, my dear, I had never the least notion of letting you win more than one game. I have set my mind on that curl. I claim it, ma’am.”
“Of c-course,” she said proudly. Inwardly, she wondered what Rule would say if he could see her now, and quaked at her own daring. She took the scissors out of her reticule.
“R-Robert, what are you g-going to do with it?” she asked rather shyly.
“Ah, that is my affair,” he replied.
“Yes. I kn-know. But—if anyone f-found out—horrid things would be said, and R-Rule would hear of it and I d-don’t want him to, because I know I—I ought n-not to have done it!” said Horatia in a rush.
“Give me the scissors,” he said, “and perhaps I’ll tell you what I mean to do with it.”
“I c-can cut it myself,” she replied, aware of a tiny feeling of apprehensiveness.
He had risen and come round the table. “My privilege, Horry,” he said, laughing, and took the scissors out of her hand.
She felt his fingers amongst her curls, and blushed. She remarked with would-be lightness: “It will be a very p-powdery one, R-Robert!”