“That proves what I said,” Bessie gaily insisted—“that you’re not really nice to me.”
“It would be a poor service, my dear child,” said her sister.
“In what sense? There’s nothing against Lord Lambeth that I know of.”
Mrs. Westgate seemed to cover much country in a few moments. “You are in love with him then?”
Bessie stared again, but this time blushing a little. “Ah, if you’ll not be serious we won’t mention him again.”
For some minutes accordingly Lord Lambeth was shrouded in silence, and it was Mrs. Westgate who, at the end of this period, removed the ban. “Of course I shall let him know we’re here. I think he’d be hurt—justly enough—if we should go away without seeing him. It’s fair to give him a chance to come and thank me for the kindness we showed him. But I don’t want to seem eager.”
“Neither do I,” said Bessie very simply.
“Though I confess,” her companion added, “that I’m curious to see how he’ll behave.”
“He behaved very well at Newport.”
“Newport isn’t London. At Newport he could do as he liked; but here it’s another affair. He has to have an eye to consequences.”