Anna did not say no. She would never say no to anything he asked her, if I possessed the gift of divination. They joined the dancers; Bill and Helen went to the archery.
“And how are you enjoying it, pray, Johnny Ludlow?”
The voice nearly shot me off the arm of the bench. For it was Mr. Brandon’s. I don’t think there was any living man I should have been so surprised at seeing at the fête as he.
“Why! is it you, sir?”
“Yes, it is, Johnny. You need not stare as if you thought me an intruder. I was invited.”
“Yes, of course, sir. But I—I fancied you never came to such parties.”
“Never was at one like this—unless I went to it in my sleep,” he said, standing with me before the bench, and casting his eyes around. “I came to-day to look after you.”
“After me, sir!”
“Yes, after you. And perhaps a little bit after your friend, Todhetley. Mr. Pell informed us the entertainments would include fortune-telling: I didn’t know but there might be a roulette-table as well. Or cards, or dice, or billiards.”
“Oh no, sir; there’s nothing of that sort.”