“Well, I suppose,” I said, “you are going to give me a lecture about her?”
“No, I am not; but I am simply going to say this—that you are in rare luck to have got the most amiable woman in the whole of Essex to be your step-mother. And then, Dumps dear, she is so jolly rich! She can give you all sorts of comforts. And what is more, she is awfully fond of you; she said so.”
“Fond of me? She couldn’t be!”
“She is, poor darling! She said so in such a loving and sad way just now. I know why she is sad; it is because you won’t return her love.”
“Never mind,” I said, jumping to my feet. I went over to the window and looked out.
“Hermione,” I said, “let us talk of something else.”
“Of course. For instance, how will you like your new school?”
“What new school?”
I sprang towards her; I took her by her shoulders; I turned her round.
“Oh! have I let the cat out of the bag?” said Hermione. “Didn’t you know you were going?”