“But what then?”
“Why, he shall be left alone here, well guarded, for 255 half an hour, and then I’ll happen in, give him an opportunity to make love again, and I can yield gracefully! Don’t you see?”
“Then you do love him?” said the aunt.
“I don’t know. However, I don’t love Jack Colden. Not a word to him, of this! I’m going to give orders to the men.”
As she entered the hall, she met Colden, who was coming from the dining-room with Mr. Valentine. The major had limited his refreshments to two glasses of brandy and water, swallowed in quick succession. Mr. Valentine, who was smoking his pipe, held Colden fraternally by the arm.
“What, Elizabeth, are you still angry?” said Colden, stopping as she passed.
“Excuse me, I have something to see to,” said the girl, coolly, hurrying away from him.
He made a slight movement to follow her, but old Valentine drew him into the parlor, saying:
“Come, major, you’ll see the lady enough after she’s married to you. I was just going to say, the last lot of tobacco I got—”
“Oh, damn your tobacco!” said the other, jerking his arm from the old man’s tremulous grasp.