“I have no omnibus, you mean. It’s a kind of vehicle I never cared about. If you persist in following me I shall have to appeal to the attendants for protection. There are cabs. I will get one for myself.”
Someone touched me on the arm. It was the girl who had been in the brown man’s box. She looked up at me with the most lovely smile, speaking in the sweetest voice:
“Perhaps you will allow me to relieve you of that difficulty. I have a carriage at the door. It is at your service to take you home.”
“It is very good of you to make me such an offer, but I could not think of troubling you—of putting you to so much inconvenience.”
“There will be no inconvenience, and no trouble. I have some friends here with whom I am going on. If you don’t use it it will go home empty, so it may as well take you.”
“But—the gentleman who was with you in the box?”
“My brother?” Somehow I was pleased to hear that the brown man was her brother. “He is looking for my friends; you needn’t worry about him. Come, I’ll show you which my carriage is.”
She laid her hand lightly on my arm. All at once I found myself walking at her side, as if we were old acquaintances. The four stood staring after us. It was quite a comfort to be walking with a woman, after being the observed of all those men—particularly as she was so pretty and so beautifully dressed. As we went she talked—always with that lovely smile.
“You’re a girl of many adventures.”
“To-night I am—too many.”