“She shall see her mistake,” he said to himself, “if she takes that line with me. I shall throw up the whole affair if there is any risk of her not coming, I should have the Worthings thinking, or the mother pretending to think, I had got it up for them—how I do detest that woman! ‘So kind of you to look us up at once; you know we were only here en passant,’ when I didn’t know they were here at all, and cared less.” But a moment after, the sound of Philippa’s sweet voice speaking in half-appealing, half-coaxing tones to her hostess, made him glance round from the window whither he had turned to hide his annoyance; and Mrs Worthing and her iniquities faded from his mind as if they had never existed.
“I really think, Mrs Lermont,” he said, “that the risk of over-fatigue for your daughter can be guarded against. I shall look out for a specially easy carriage, and we can take our time about it and drive slowly if Miss Lermont prefers. We shall not be at all a large party, and nearly all, people who know each other well—the Denvers and Maxtons and one or two more—the only strangers a mother and daughter who have just arrived, whom I suppose I must invite, friends of the Wyverston Headforts, by-the-by,” he added, turning to Philippa.
But for once the name of Wyverston failed to catch her attention, so engrossed was she in the question of Maida’s joining the picnic.
“Yes,” she said, speaking with reference to the first part of Mr Gresham’s speech, of which he felt instinctively that she greatly approved, “yes, dear Mrs Lermont, I really am sure it would do Maida no harm. We should all take such care of her, and you would be there yourself.”
“Of course,” said Mr Gresham, cordially, “I am counting on you and Mr Lermont, and Mr Raynsworth; I think the touch of antiquarian interest about the château may be a lure to him, may it not?” with a glance at Philippa.
“I have no doubt it would be,” she replied. “But I will make him come whether he cares about the fifteenth-century tower still standing or not,” said Philippa, laughingly.
“Miss Raynsworth, Miss Raynsworth,” said Mr Gresham, “you have been ‘reading up,’ and you will come out with your learning to shame us all.”
“That would be so like Philippa!” said Maida, touching the girl’s shoulder affectionately. “But, mother, we are waiting for your decision,” for Mrs Lermont had not spoken again.
“Silence gives consent,” said Philippa, and as her hostess only smiled, so her reply was interpreted.