“George is a presumptuous fellow,” said Cheriton, with heat. “I should recommend him to refrain from meddling with my personal affairs. Let him attend to his own.”
“George is quite competent to do that,” said Caroline, with a suavity that her old friend felt to be decidedly dangerous. “In fact, I may say that George has already placed his affairs upon a business basis.”
“What do you mean, Caroline?”
“It is not a question of what I mean,” said the cryptical Caroline. “The question is, what do you mean, Cheriton?”
Cheriton allowed “Law’s Serious Call” to fall upon the counterpane.
“I wish you wouldn’t indulge in riddles,” said he.
“There is no mystery,” said Caroline. “I am going to say one thing to you quite plainly.”
“You have always been inclined to err on the side of plainness, Caroline, in my opinion.”
“George thinks, and I think with him, that the time is ripe for you to make a declaration of your intentions.”
“My intentions!”