“From your point of view, perhaps, as her brother is from mine.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you think that horrid fellow charming?” asked Arthur in disgust.
“Why should I not?”
“Oh, for the matter of that there is no reason why you should not, but I can’t congratulate you either on your friend or your taste.”
“Leaving my taste out of the question, why do you call Lord Minster my friend?”
“Because Miss Terry told me that he was; she said that he was always proposing to you, and that you would probably marry him in the end.”
Mildred blushed faintly.
“She has no business to tell you; but, for the matter of that, so have many other men. It does not follow that, because they choose to propose to me, they are my friends.”
“No, but then they have not married you.”
“No more has he; but, while we are talking of it, why should I not marry Lord Minster? He can give me position, influence, everything that is dear to a woman, except the rarest of all gifts—love.”