Fanny rose and drew herself up with dignity. “You must speak to my father,” she said, with a demure bow.
“Oh, there you are again! You won’t take me seriously for one consecutive minute.”
Fanny clasped her hands again and held them extended before her. “I have an idea. Let’s pretend that I’m dad. That’ll be great. Now here’s dad, walking up and down the library. That’s what he always used to do whenever I got into a scrape and the governess sent me to him.” She cleared her throat and thrust her hand into her shirt-waist. “Well, sir?” she said, in a deep voice.
“Oh, say, now!” Guy exclaimed, in disgust.
Fanny held her head on one side and made a warning gesture. “Oh, I’m serious about this. You must answer my questions if you want to please me. If you don’t, I’ll say ‘No’ outright, and I’ll get Uncle Doug to discharge you. So you’d better look out, or you’ll lose your job.”
In spite of himself, Guy smiled. “All right,” he said, to humor her. “Fire away!”
Fanny cleared her throat again and threw back her shoulders. “Well, sir, what can I do for you?”
Guy tried to mimic her assumed voice. “You can give me your child, sir.”
Fanny glared at him. “Now you know very well you wouldn’t talk like that!” she said with disgust in her tone. She shook her head and drew her lips tightly together. “I guess you don’t know dad. M’m.”
“Well, what would I say?”