"How charming," said Miss Eustace, rising from her knees before Jay, and looking at the table. "How charming it is, and how good of you, Miss Rothermel. Mamma, is she not good? Think of giving up all that time for a little child who never can repay you!"
"Miss Rothermel is unselfish," said the mother, releasing Gabby from a final embrace. "Jay ought to love her very much. Jay, you do, I know. Tell Miss Rothermel you love her."
"And thank her for the party," cried the daughter, stooping over him with irrepressible fondness, again.
"I won't," said Jay, stoutly, pulling himself away. "It's none of you's business."
"Jay!" cried his father.
But Missy moved forward, as if to protect him, and said, "He only means that he and I can settle our accounts together. Can't we, Jay?"
Jay did not answer otherwise than by clutching at her gown and scowling back at the honeyed cousins. How sweet it was, that little fist tight in her dress; Missy felt it almost made up for the whole affair, and gave her resolution to make another and more definite apology for being there.
"I am sure," cried Miss Eustace, "you are unselfish, indeed. There isn't one young woman in a hundred would have done it; taking all that trouble, and coming over here by yourself,—without a lady in the house, I mean, you know, and all that—and not minding about us, and not standing on conventionalities, and such tiresome things. Oh, Miss Rothermel, I am sure we shall be friends. I hate proprieties, and I love to do what comes into my head. I am so bored with the restrictions that mamma is insisting on forever."
Miss Rothermel changed color several times during this speech. It seemed to her she had never been so angry before; one's youngest grievance is always one's greatest, however. Perhaps she had hated people as much before, but it did not seem so to her. She could not say anything, but she moved towards the door, stooping down to loosen Jay's hands from her dress.
"I am very sorry," she said to Mr. Andrews, "to have been the means of interfering with your dinner. I hope the cook will be able to get something ready for you."