Ashurst grinned and bowed.
“Every time Stella calls you Mr. Ashurst, she's got to pay a forfeit. It's ridiculous.”
Ashurst looked at Stella, who grew slowly red. Sabina giggled; Freda cried:
“She's 'smoking'—'smoking!'—Yah!”
Ashurst reached out to right and left, and grasped some fair hair in each hand.
“Look here,” he said, “you two! Leave Stella alone, or I'll tie you together!”
Freda gurgled:
“Ouch! You are a beast!”
Sabina murmured cautiously:
“You call her Stella, you see!”