A servant entered with a letter. He took it from her, staring at her with the hard insolence of his class. The girl dropped her eyes, looked confused, and then smiled at him.
“Aha,” he said lightly. He caught her hand and pressed it, still looking into her eyes.
“No,” said the girl hurriedly. “There’s some one coming.”
“You’re my little duckling, aren’t you?” he said softly, catching her round the waist.
“Be quiet,” she answered, frightened. “I’m sure I hear some one coming.”
He listened for a second, maintaining his hold. “Nonsense,” he said. “Nonsense, Amy.”
“My name’s Jessie,” she said pertly.
He bent and kissed her lips; the girl made some show of virtue by calling him a bad man.
“Oh law,” said Jessie, breaking from him hastily. “There’s some one——” She seized two plates upon the table, and made a bustling pretence at clearing away. On learning that it was a false alarm, she looked at him with a sort of slinking grace.
“You’ve made my hair untidy,” she said reproachfully.