Sophy, who had led the way to a rustic seat, now urged him to sit down beside her on it. Tracing a pattern on gravel path with the point of her parasol, she said: “If it is money — and it nearly always is; it is the most odious thing — and you do not care to ask your papa for it, I expect I could help you.”
“Much good it would be to ask my father!” said Huh “He hasn’t a feather to fly with, and what is so dashed unjust, when you consider, the only time I ever applied him he went into a worse rage than Charles does!”
“Does Charles go into a rage?”
“Oh, well! No, not precisely, but I don’t know but what I’d liefer he did!” replied Hubert bitterly.
She nodded. “Then you don’t wish to approach him. Do, pray, tell me!”
“Certainly not!” said Hubert, on his dignity. “Devilish good of you, Sophy, but I haven’t come to that yet!”
“Come to what?” she demanded.
“Borrowing money from females, of course! Besides, there’s no need. I shall come about, and before I go up to Oxford again, thank the lord!”
“How?”
“Never mind, but it can’t fail! If it does — but it will not! I may have a father who — well, no sense in talking of him! And I may have a dashed disagreeable brother, holding tightly to the purse strings, but fortunately for me I’ve a couple of good friends, whatever Charles may say!”