“Norman Wylde won’t go because I have treated him so coldly, Rosalind says; but he may sulk all he chooses. I shall not make up with him in a hurry.”
CHAPTER XXVII.
“A MARRIED FLIRT.”
When Pansy had left Norman Wylde, Mrs. Meade sat down on the seat she had vacated, and her face was very grave and thoughtful.
It had appeared very strange to her to find Norman Wylde and the beautiful Mrs. Falconer alone in the park together, and seeming to be on very amicable terms with each other, whereas she had supposed them to be almost utter strangers.
“Perhaps she is a flirt,” she thought suspiciously; and just then Norman Wylde turned his head, after watching Pansy until she disappeared, and said:
“How does it happen that Mrs. Falconer and Pet are so well acquainted with each other?”
The old housekeeper, who had known him ever since he was a little boy, answered dryly:
“Mr. Norman, I was just going to ask the same question about yourself and Mrs. Falconer.”
He smiled at first, then flushed a dark red at her searching glance, and answered:
“But I do not know Mrs. Falconer very well. I have never met her but once or twice until she came down this path, quite by accident, a while ago, and I invited her to rest a few minutes—she looked so tired and warm.”