“Ah, hunting is a different matter. Rather a responsibility. What? We must see what John says. In the meantime, you’ll get a habit?”
“Yes.” She glanced at me quickly, and glanced away. “Where shall I go? Would Matthews—”
Matthews was the local tailor. The Squire waved aside the suggestion with masculine scorn.
“Certainly not. Do the thing properly when you are about it. Nothing worse than a badly-cut habit. Better go up to town!”
Again Delphine glanced at me. The obvious thing was for me to return her invitation and invite her to stay with me for the transaction, but obviously I couldn’t do it. Moreover I did not want to, so I stared blankly before me, and resigned myself to being thought a mean thing.
“Oh, well—I’ll manage somehow,” Delphine said in a tone of finality, which was obviously intended to stop the discussion.
Mr Maplestone looked at me and said:—
“Mrs Fane has already left, I believe. I suppose you will join her later.”
“I think not. She has gone abroad. I shall remain in England.”
Delphine gave a short, irritable laugh. I had annoyed her, and child-like, she wished to hit back.