"The fair Julia——" Underwood began; but he stopped when his companion advanced upon him threatening, with so gloomy a look and so tightly strained an arm that the captain judged it wise to change his tone. "I should have said, since we are on punctilio, that Miss Herbert and you are older acquaintances than you and I, Erradeen."
"Fortunately you have nothing to do with that," Walter said, perceiving the absurdity of his rage.
Then he walked to the window and looked out so long and silently that the anxious watcher began to think the incident over. But it was not till Walter, after this period of reflection, had written a note and sent it to the messenger, that he ventured to speak.
"You have accepted, of course. In the circumstances it would be uncivil——"
Walter looked at him for a moment, breaking off his sentence as if he had spoken.
"I have something to tell you," he said. "My mother is coming to Auchnasheen."
"Your mother!" Underwood's voice ran into a quaver of dismay.
"You will see that in the circumstances, as you say, I am forced to be uncivil. When my mother is here she will, of course, be the mistress of the house; and she, as you know——"
"Will not ask me to prolong my visit," said the captain, with an attempt at rueful humour. "I think we may say as much as that, Erradeen."
"I fear it is not likely," Walter said.