She spoke with evident conviction. I remembered words and looks, and I grew hot and faint.
"Oh, Mrs. Langton!" I exclaimed desperately, "what shall I do? how can I undeceive him?"
"Leave the house at once," she promptly replied.
"Will it not be better to stay for another day or so, just to be cool with him?"
"He will think it shyness."
"And despair if I run away. No, I must stay to undeceive him."
"And to give him time to inform you in his civil, gentlemanly way, how deeply he feels for you."
"Then I can show him I don't want his sympathy."
"He will think it pride or pique. Take my advice, Miss Burns. You are in a false position. Retreat."
She laid her hand on my arm and spoke impressively. But youth is rash; I scorned the idea of flight. Besides I had no faith in her advice. With the frank indignation of my years, I felt how meanly my candour and inexperience had been imposed upon. "So, Mrs. Brand," I thought resentfully, "you had me here, because you thought I might make a manageable sister-in-law! Much obliged to you, Mrs. Brand; you will have your dear Edith, yet. But to go and tell or imply to her brother that I was in love with him, with a man who might be my father!