“Very easily. It is a serious thing when a girl plays fast and loose with a man’s heart, and such a man as Charlie. And I told her so roundly.”
“And how did she take it?” asked Graeme, in a maze between astonishment and vexation.
“Oh! she was as high and mighty as possible, called my interference rudeness and impertinence, and walked out of the room like an offended princess—and I rather think I had the worst of it,” added Harry, laughing at the remembrance. “But I don’t bear malice, and I don’t think Rose does.”
“Of course, she does not. But Harry, dear, though I should not call your interference impertinent in any bad sense, I must say it was not a very wise thing to take her to task, as you call it. I don’t believe Mr Millar ever said a word to her about—about his feelings, and you don’t suppose she was going to confess, or allow you to scold her about—any one.”
“Now; Graeme, don’t be missish! ‘Never said a word!’—Why, a blind man might have seen it all along. I know we all looked upon her as a child, but a woman soon knows when a man cares for her.”
“No wise woman will acknowledge it to another till she has been told so in words; at least she ought not,” said Graeme, gravely.
“Oh, well!—there is no use talking. Perhaps I was foolish; but I love Charlie, dearly. I daresay Rose thinks herself too good for him, because he does not pretend to be so wonderfully intellectual as some of her admirers do, and you may agree with her. But I tell you, Graeme, Charlie is pure gold. I don’t know another that will compare with him, for everything pure and good and high-minded—unless it is our own Will; and it is so long since we have seen him, we don’t know how he may be changed by this time. But I can swear for Charlie.”
“You don’t need to swear to me, Harry. You know well I have always liked Charlie.”
“Well, it can’t be helped now. Charlie has got over it. Men do get over these things, though it doesn’t seem possible to them at the time,” added Harry, meditatively. “I was rather afraid of Rosie’s coming home, and I wanted Charlie to go to Scotland, then, but he is all right now. Of course you are not to suppose that I blame Rose. Such things will happen, and it is well it is no worse. It is the way with those girls not to know or value true worth because they see it every day.”
“Poor Charlie!” said Graeme, softly.