But at this Mollie found her tongue, indignation spurring her to speech.
“You are not very polite to the rest of us! I should not have thought it would be such a great hardship to stay in a lovely big house with three young companions, when summer was coming on, too! I should think there are one or two people in the world who would like it even a little better than poking in a stuffy office from morning until night. But there’s no accounting for tastes. When you are grilling with heat in the City you can think of us sitting under the trees eating strawberries, and thank Fate you are so much better off. We promise not to send you any. It might remind you too painfully of the country!”
“Mollie!” cried Ruth in sharp reproof; but Jack laughed with good-natured amusement.
“Oh, I deserve it, Miss Farrell! My remarks sounded horribly discourteous. I assure you if I had the time to spare I should thoroughly enjoy staying on for a time under the present conditions; but as it is quite impossible to remain for three months, I might as well depart at once. I don’t suppose Mr Farrell will wish to keep me under the circumstances.”
It appeared, however, Jack Melland was wrong in his surmise, for when he announced his decision to his host before bidding him good-night, the old man looked at him coldly and replied—
“I thought I had explained that we would discuss objections at a later date. May I ask what limit you had mentally fixed to your visit when you did me the honour of accepting my invitation?”
“I hardly know—this is Monday. I thought, perhaps until Saturday, or, at the longest, a week.”
Mr Farrell waved his hand in dismissal.
“We will leave it for a week, then. On Monday morning next I will discuss the position as fully as you wish. Now, if either of you young gentlemen cares to smoke, the billiard-room is at your service. Please ring for anything you require. Meantime, as it is past my usual hour for retiring, I wish you a very good-night.”
“Checkmate, old fellow!” cried Victor Druce, as the door closed behind the stooping figure; but Jack deigned no reply.