He turned on her with dignified eyes of surprise and disapproval, saying stiffly:
“Certainly, I am a real minister, and the marriage was real. What else?”
“But it was meant for a sham. I never would have given my consent to the reality,” she cried, in breathless dismay.
He turned startled eyes on her excited face, and exclaimed:
“But Mrs. Fleming employed me. Surely she knew!”
“Yes, it was my fault. I knew Royall and Daisie were engaged, and thought it would be great fun to marry them offhand, believing they would be pleased to have it so. But Daisie’s dignity is offended, I’m sorry to see. Royall, I know you can soon bring her around to forgive me!” chirped the widow, suddenly making herself mistress of the situation.
But Daisie’s eyes blazed with anger as she turned and placed her hand on the arm of Dallas Bain.
“Mr. Bain, will you please take me home to Aunt Alice?” she exclaimed; then bitterly: “I will never forgive you, Mrs. Fleming, for this outrage, and to-morrow I will call in the law to free me from your cousin’s fetters.”
With those words, she swept from the room with Dallas, and no one was bold enough to try to arrest her exit.