‘Have you brought me here to play at a quaker’s meeting?’ she asked, angrily. ‘I thought you said you had something to say; and I wish you’d be quick with it, as I’m sure it’s nothing agreeable.’
‘Ada, is that my fault?’ he asked, turning to her with a wistful look.
‘Of course it is your fault,’ was the indignant reply. ‘Why must you fly into a passion about nothing at all, and speak to me as if I’d been doing something worse than any one else ever did, and insult me, and speak in such a way to a gentleman like Mr. Askam—and Miss Wynter sitting there? Am I not to be allowed to speak to a gentleman?’
‘Ada!’ he exclaimed, all the gentle phrases scattered to the winds at the picture which her words conjured into his mind, and speaking solemnly, and even sternly,—‘for heaven’s sake be silent, or you will drive me to speak to you in a way that I shall repent. Gentleman! No gentleman would behave as that blackguard behaved to-night. When I went in and saw him leaning over your chair, I wonder I did not rush at him and knock him down, without a word. Let me tell you that no girl’s character would benefit by its being known that Otho Askam was on friendly terms with her. He is a thorough-paced cad, without honour, or honesty, or principles. Child, child! How could you let him lead you on, in the face——’
‘You’re never jealous!’ cried Ada, her anger turned into something like a smile.
‘Jealous!’ echoed Roger, with unspeakable contempt in his tone. ‘When I have to be jealous of him, it will be all up between you and me. I boil with rage at the pollution you suffer from his familiarity. Ada—you do love me, my darling, don’t you?’
‘Why, yes, of course,’ said Ada, slowly.
‘Then you must promise me to have no more to do with him. See to what you have driven me already. I shall have to have a reckoning with him to-morrow. I shall tell him what I think of him, and promise him a horsewhipping, if ever he ventures upon such impertinence again——’
‘Roger!’ The presumption, the audacity of his words, caused Ada to turn pale.
‘And of course,’ Roger went on, calmly, ‘I shall have to shake the dust of this place from my feet. I have no fear of not being able to get another situation; but it may be some little time first; it may be a long way from here when I do get it; it cannot be here, of course; there is no other place here. And that will separate us. You did not know or foresee all this; you could not, but it is so, you see. And I cannot speak quite calmly about it.’