She laughed, a trifle hysterically.
“Not just yet, you bet!” she answered, lifting her wet eyes to mine and showing that mischief still sparkled brightly in them,—“There’s nothing wrong with the funds as far as I know. I’ve only had a,——well, a sort of rumpus here with Sibyl.”
“With Sibyl?”
“Yes,”—and she rested the point of her little embroidered shoe on a footstool and looked at it critically—“You see it’s the Catsup’s ‘At Home’ to-night, and I’m invited and Sibyl’s invited; Miss Charlotte is knocked up with nursing the Countess, and of course I made sure that Sibyl would [p 194] go. Well, she never said a word about it till she came down to dinner, and then she asked me what time I wanted the carriage. I said ‘Aren’t you going too?’ and she looked at me in that provoking way of hers,—you know!—a look that takes you in from your topmost hair to your shoe-edge,—and answered ‘Did you think it possible!’ Well, I flared up, and said of course I thought it possible,—why shouldn’t it be possible? She looked at me in the same way again and said—‘To the Catsups? with you!’ Now, you know, Mr Tempest, that was real downright rudeness, and more than I could stand so I just gave way to my mind. ‘Look here,’ I said—‘though you are the daughter of an Earl, you needn’t turn up your nose at Mrs Catsup. She isn’t half bad,—I don’t speak of her money,—but she’s a real good sort, and has a kind heart, which it appears to me is more than you have. Mrs Catsup would never treat me as unkindly as you do.’ And then I choked,—I could have burst out in a regular yell, if I hadn’t thought the footman might be outside the door listening. And Sibyl only smiled, that patent ice-refrigerator smile of hers, and asked—‘would you prefer to live with Mrs Catsup?’ Of course I told her no,—nothing would induce me to live with Mrs Catsup, and then she said—‘Miss Chesney, you pay my father for the protection and guarantee of his name and position in English social circles, but the companionship of my father’s daughter was not included in the bargain. I have tried to make you understand as distinctly as I can that I will not be seen in society with you,—not because I dislike you,—far from it,—but simply because people would say I was acting as your paid companion. You force me to speak plainly, and I am sorry if I offend. As for Mrs Catsup, I have only met her once, and she seemed to me very common and ill-bred. Besides I do not care for the society of tradespeople.’ And with that she got up and sailed out,—and I heard her order the carriage for me at ten. It’s coming round directly, and just look at my red eyes! It’s awfully hard on me,—I [p 195] know old Catsup made his pile out of varnish, but varnish is as good as anything else in the general market. And——and——it’s all out now, Mr Tempest,—and you can tell Sibyl what I’ve said if you like; I know you’re in love with her!”
I stared, bewildered by her voluble and almost breathless outburst.
“Really, Miss Chesney,” I began formally.
“Oh yes, Miss Chesney, Miss Chesney—it’s all very well!”
she repeated impatiently, snatching up a gorgeous evening cloak which I mutely volunteered to put on, an offer she as mutely accepted—“I’m only a girl, and it isn’t my fault if I’ve got a vulgar man for a father who wants to see me married to an English nobleman before he dies,—that’s his look-out—I don’t care about it. English noblemen are a ricketty lot in my opinion. But I’ve as good a heart as anyone, and I could love Sibyl if she’d let me, but she won’t
. She leads the life of an ice-berg, and doesn’t care a rap for anyone. She doesn’t care for you, you know!—I wish she did,—she’d be more human!”
“I’m very sorry for all this,”—I said, smiling into the piquante face of the really sweet-natured girl, and gently fastening the jewelled clasp of her cloak at her throat—“But you mustn’t mind it so much. You are a dear little soul Diana,—kind and generous and impulsive and all the rest of it,—but,—well——English people are very apt to misunderstand Americans. I can quite enter into your feelings,—still you know Lady Sibyl is very proud——”