“That is an immense burden.”
“Yes.”
“You must get someone to bear it with you. Pardon me, but I am as interested in your future as if you were one of my daughters. I saw something in a society paper about you this morning. I devoutly hope it is true.”
“What was it?”
“That you were about to marry Lord Hurstmanceaux.”
“What!”
She rose from her seat as if a snake had bitten her, her colorless skin grew red as a rose, her eyes blazed with an indignation for which her companion was puzzled to account. “Whoever dare—whoever dare——” she said breathlessly.
Framlingham was astonished. “Come, come, my dear; there’s nothing in the report to put your back up like that. I don’t know him personally, but I have always heard that he is a very fine fellow—poor—but that wouldn’t matter to you; on my word, I don’t think you could possibly do better. You might get much higher rank, of course, but then you don’t care about rank. Pray be seated and calm yourself.”
“How could such a falsehood possibly be put in print?” she said nervously.
“You might be more astonished if you saw a truth in print,” said Framlingham with a chuckle. “So it’s no foundation, eh? Do you know him?”