And Pet went waltzing round the room.
A cloud settled for a moment on the bland face of the gentleman, and his small eyes shot a sharp, jealous gleam at the bewildering figure floating dimly over the carpet. It vanished, however, as quickly as it came, as he said, in a tone of assumed carelessness: “Ah! and who is Ray, Miss Petronilla?”
“Why, you know well enough,” said Pet, impatiently. “Ray Germaine—you saw him when he was here last.”
“Bless me! Yes, I had forgotten; but you remember that was three years ago, Miss Lawless, so I may be pardoned for not recollecting him. If I took as much interest in him as you seem to do, my memory would doubtless be better.”
His tones were low, bland and oily, but his gleaming eyes were like two drawn stilettoes.
“I expect you would,” said Pet. “I have a faint idea that I would have some trouble—if not more—in forgetting Ray Germaine. Don’t believe he would approve of my doing so at all, either.”
“I did not think Miss Lawless cared for the approval or disapproval of any one in the world,” insinuated the gentleman, with one of his bland smiles and needle-like glances.
“We’ll see what thought done! That proves, Mr. Garnet,” said the elf, mockingly, “how careful the general run of man-kind should be in trusting their thoughts, since even a gentleman so near perfection as you are can be deceived.”
“Then you do care for the approval of this fellow, Germaine?” said the tutor, trying to hide a dark scowl.
“This fellow, Germaine? Well, there’s a nice way for a young lady’s tutor to talk of her friends. I’d prefer to hear him called Mister Germaine, sir, if it’s all the same to you,” said Pet, drawing herself up.