“Only to the Folly and back. But I sauntered about, looking at the flowers, and that tires one far worse than bearing on steadily.”
“Ay. Lay yourself down on that couch at full length, lad. Mrs. Hastings is here, I see. And—was that other Charlotte Pain?”
“Yes,” replied George, disregarding the injunction to lie down.
“Did she come from the Folly in that guise?—Nothing on her head but those flowers? I could see no bonnet even in her hand.”
“It is to be sent after her. Janet”—passing quickly from the other matter—“she has come to dine with us.”
Miss Godolphin turned in amazement, and fixed her eyes reproachfully on George. “To dine with us?—to-day? Have you been asking her?”
“Janet, I could not well help myself. When I got to Lady Godolphin’s Folly, I found Charlotte alone: Mrs. Verrall has departed for town. To break through my engagement there, I proposed that Charlotte should come here.”
“Nay,” said Janet, “your engagement was already broken, if Mrs. Verrall was away.”
“Not so. Charlotte expected me to remain.”
“Herself your sole entertainer?”