“And the doctor, what did he say?” I asked. To which she replied, “Oh, he laughed, and said it was too bad to disappoint you, if it affected you like that, but he couldn’t help it.”
I hardly knew at which I was most indignant, Dr. Clayton or Dell, and when I laid my aching head on my pillow, my last thoughts were, that “if Dr. Clayton ever did come to school I’d let him know I didn’t care for him—he might have Dell Thompson and welcome!”
I changed my mind, however, when early the next afternoon, the gentleman himself appeared to vindicate his cause, saying he was sorry that he could not have kept his appointment, adding, as he finally relinquished my hand, “You had company, though, I believe, and so, on the whole, I am glad I was detained, for I had rather visit you alone.”
Much as I now esteem Dr. Clayton, I do not hesitate to say that he was then a male flirt, a species of mankind which I detest. He was the handsomest, most agreeable man I had ever seen, and by some strange fascination, he possessed the power of swaying me at his will. This he well knew, and hence the wrong he committed by working upon my feelings. Never passed hours more agreeably to me than did those of that afternoon. And I even forgot that I was to go home that night, and that in all probability father would come for me as soon as school was out, thus preventing the quiet talk alone with Dr. Clayton, which I so much desired: so when, about four o’clock, I saw the head of old Sorrel appearing over the hill, my emotions were not particularly pleasant, and I wished I had not been so foolish as to insist upon going home every week. The driver, however, proved to be Charlie, and this in a measure consoled me, for he, I knew, was good at taking hints, and would wait for me as long as I desired; so I welcomed him with a tolerably good grace, introducing him to Dr. Clayton, who addressed him as Mr. Lee, thereby winning his friendship at once and forever!
When school was out and the scholars gone, I commenced making preparations for my departure, shutting down the windows and piling away books, slowly and deliberately, while Charlie, who seemed in no hurry, amused himself by whipping at the thistle-tops which grew near the door. At last Dr. Clayton, turning to him, said, “And so you have come to carry your sister home, when I was promising myself that pleasure?”
Charlie glanced at my face, and its expression, doubtless, prompted his answer, “You can do so now, if you choose, for I like to ride alone.”
Of course I disclaimed against such an arrangement, but my objections were overruled, and almost before I knew what I was doing, I found myself seated in Dr. Clayton’s covered buggy, with him at my side. Telling Charlie “not to be surprised if he did not see us until sunset,” he drove off in a different direction from Meadow Brook, remarking to me that “it was a fine afternoon for riding and he meant to enjoy it.”
I hardly know whether he had any object in passing Capt. Thompson’s, but he certainly did so, bowing graciously and showing his white teeth to Dell, who, from a chamber window, looked haughtily down upon me, and as I afterwards learned, made fun of my pink sun-bonnet and little yellow dotted shawl. The sight of her naturally led him to speak of her, and much to my surprise, he asked me how I liked her! I could not answer truthfully and say “very well;” so I replied that “I hardly knew her. She was very fine looking, and I presumed she was very intelligent and accomplished.”
“You are a good-hearted little girl, Rose,” said he, “to speak thus of her. Do you suppose she would do the same by you if asked a similar question?”
“Oh, no,” I answered, eagerly, “she couldn’t say I was fine looking. Nobody ever said that.”