She had the impression that he was laughing, but he said quite gravely: “You’ll never do for a governess. You don’t look like one. Besides, you’re not old enough.”
“Yes, I am, and I shall look just like a governess.”
“You can’t know anything about governesses if that’s what you think.”
“Well, I don’t, but I thought it would be a very good thing to become.”
“I dare say you know best, but to my mind you’re making a mistake. From all I’ve heard, they have a devilish poor time of it.”
“I wish I could be a smuggler,” said Eustacie wistfully. “I think I should like that.”
“You wouldn’t do for a smuggler,” he replied, shaking his head. “We don’t encourage females in the trade. It’s too dangerous.”
“Well, I do not think it is fair that just because one is a female one should never be allowed to have any adventures!”
“You seem to me to be having a deal of adventure,” he pointed out. “I might easily have choked the life out of you—in fact, I may still if you don’t behave yourself. You’re in a mighty tight corner.”
“Yes, I know I am having an adventure now,” agreed Eustacie, “and, of course, I am enjoying it, but I should like to continue having adventures, which is a thing not at all easy to arrange.”