Rollo's eyes sparkled, as he stood behind her, and his lips twitched.
'Is that the way you used to handle Mr. Falkirk, when he expressed his wishes about some point of your action?'
'Mr. Falkirk was indulged with a variety of ways.'
'Have you got a variety in store for me?'
'For any deserving objectI am extremely impartial,' said Hazel turning a leaf.
'Won't you give me another variety then, this morning?' said he softly. 'Because I am not going to let you go out on foot to-day, Hazel.'
'Not let me?' Hazel repeated, looking round from her notebook now to ask the question. There was no explanation in the face that confronted her, nor any consciousness of having said anything that needed it. Hazel looked at him for a second, open-eyed.
'What can you possibly mean?' she said.
'If it means interference with your pleasure, I am sorry.'
Probably something in face and figure made this reply more definite than the words, for Wych Hazel's face waked up.