She positively snatched at the box, which was on the ottoman at my side. I looked up at her with my sweetest smile.
“With the greatest possible pleasure, my dear Lilian. I should not wish to accept anything from Mr Rumford. You know that he is not the sort of person to whom I should care to be indebted in the smallest particular.”
“Then don’t you dare to go to the Gaiety with him to-night!”
“Dare? My dear Lilian, what very odd language you do use. It’s not a question of daring, I can assure you.” I smiled down at Mr Carter’s roses, which I had exchanged for Mr Purchase’s. “It’s not my fault if he prefers to take me instead of you—is it?”
I thought she would have boxed my ears. I feel sure she would have liked to. Eveleen laughed.
“And I suppose,” she said, “that it’s not your fault if they all of them prefer to take you instead of us.”
I kept on smiling at the roses.
“I don’t know why they should prefer it. I haven’t an idea.”
“It is a novel experience, isn’t it?”
“I certainly haven’t been to the theatre with so many gentlemen as you, if that’s what you mean.”