"You did. You, a Bohun, to descend to companionship with them! Fie upon you! And you have been said to inherit your father's pride."
"As I hope I do, in all proper things. I am unable to understand your distinctions, madam," he added, laughingly. "Rane is as good as Bessy, for all I see. As good as we are."
Madam caught up a hand-screen, as if she would have liked to throw it at him. Her hand trembled, with emotion or temper.
"There's some girl living with them. They tell me you went home with her in the carriage!"
Arthur Bohun suddenly turned his back upon them, as if to see who might be coming, for distant footsteps were heard advancing. But for that, madam might have seen a hot flush illumine his face.
"Well? What else, mother? Of course I took her home--Miss Adair."
"In the face and eyes of Dallory!"
"Certainly. And we had faces and eyes out that morning, I can tell you. It is not every day a Miss North gets married."
"How came you to take her home?"
"Dick asked me to do so. There was no one else to ask, you see. Mrs. Gass cheered us in going by, as if we had been an election. She had a shining yellow gown on and white bows in her cap."