“Do tell! You’re the person to ask for apologies, aren’t you?”
“Exactly, and I mean to have one.”
“Am I to apologise because you broke your appointment, and haven’t been around for two whole days?”
“Considering that you broke the appointment through Mrs van Zyl, and went to the Carnival, which you had promised you wouldn’t do, I scarcely thought you would care to see me.”
“And if I told you that Sadie wrote you just to test you, and that I was waiting for you here all of Tuesday afternoon, what then?”
“I should ask who the two American ladies were from this house who were at the Carnival with King Michael.”
“I guess Sadie and Maimie are just as good Americans as I am,” said Félicia languidly. “Well!” she cried, with sudden fire, “if I told you all that what would you do?”
“I should accept your word, of course.”
“Oh, how kind! how condescending! Well, then, I just won’t tell you anything of the sort. You won’t have any word to accept, do you see? and you can just do as you like.”
“Félicia, you are not treating me fairly!” cried Usk, torn asunder with doubts. “Tell me you were not at the Carnival, and I will make any apology you please. You had no right to test me as you say, for I think I have passed the stage for that sort of thing, but if it was a test, I failed; I acknowledge that.”