“Perhaps,” suggested Lady Luttrell, “you had not previously given her reason to suppose that you had fallen in love with her?”
“Madam,” said Sir Richard, with a touch of impatience, “she was in my care, in a situation of the utmost delicacy! Would you have expected me to abuse her confidence by making love to her?”
“No,” she said, smiling. “From the little I have seen of you, I should have expected you to have treated her just as I imagine you did: as though you were indeed her uncle.”
“With the result,” he said bitterly, “that that is how she regards me.”
“Is it indeed?” she said tartly. “Let me tell you, Sir Richard, that men of twenty-nine, with your air, countenance, and address, are not commonly regarded by young females in the light of uncles!”
He flushed, and smiled a little wryly. “Thank you! But Pen is not like other young females.”
“Pen,” said Lady Luttrell, “must be a very odd sort of a female if she spent all this while in your company and not succumbed to a charm of manner which you must be so well aware that you possess that I do not scruple to mention it. I consider that your conduct in aiding the chit to escape was disgraceful, but since you were drunk at the time I suppose one must overlook that. I do not blame you for anything you have done since you found yourself in the stage-coach: indeed, you have behaved in a manner that would, if I were twenty-years younger, make me envy Pen exceedingly. Finally, if she did not spend the better part of last night crying her eyes out, I know nothing about my own sex! Where is the letter she left for you? May I see it?”
He drew it from his pocket. “Pray read it, if you wish. It contains nothing, alas, that may not be read by other eyes than mine.”
She took it from him, read it, and handed it back. “Just as I thought! Breaking her heart, and determined you shall not know it! Sir Richard, for a man of experience, which I judge you to be, you are a great fool! You never kissed her!”
An unwilling laugh was dragged out of him at this unexpected accusation. “How could I, situated as we were? She recoiled from the very thought of marriage!”