“I think not,” said my papa, very grim. “I promised to cane him round the town if he did not instantly unsay his words, or if he ever repeated ’em, and he saw his error, and begged my pardon. But what he says, others are saying, and I don’t choose they should say it of my daughter. You may be as whimsical and as humoursome as you like, miss, and play off all your pretty airs and graces on me, but it won’t do you no good, nor advantage you one whit. I am acting for your good, and you know it; and I don’t despair that one day you’ll have the grace to thank me for it, when you judge that your punctilio has been satisfied by the proper amount of sulking.”
He made as though to leave me; but ’twas my last chance, and I could not see it slip away. Springing after him, I was bold enough to seize his arm. “Dear sir,” I said, “you have forbid me to plead for your girl, and she perceives she need expect no softness from her papa. But think at least of your friend. Is it acting a friendly part by him to seek to force into his arms an unwilling bride? That’s all I ask you.”
“But why should the bride be unwilling?” cried Mr Freyne, turning upon me angrily. “I offer her the whole of Calcutta from which to choose, and she’s still unwilling. There must be some limit even to a lady’s reluctance. Perhaps the cause lies outside Calcutta—hey, miss? Perhaps you’ll be so obliging as to tell me exactly what there is between you and the sea-officer, the Captain’s cousin, or perhaps you’re held back by an oath?”
“Why, no, sir, for there’s nothing to swear about. There’s nothing whatever between your daughter and Lieutenant Fraser.”
“Not so much as a promise? I had your word for it that there was no marriage.”
“Not even a promise, sir. I don’t deny that the gentleman came desiring to obtain one from me, but we parted in anger.”
My papa looked at me with a suspicion that convinced me I owed this strange harshness of his to some fresh tale of Mrs Freyne’s. (Don’t scold me, Amelia. Can you say that she don’t seek to separate my father and me by means of tales?) “And you wish the young gentleman fetched back, miss?”
“Why, no, sir, certainly not,” my cheeks aflame at the very thought.
“Then you would prefer to wait in case it might please him to come back, and so find you meekly ready for his arrival?”
“I don’t think your girl has merited these sarcasms, sir.”