Anne did not reply, being much exercised in trying to get her hand away from the one that imprisoned it; and whatever the miller thought he kept to himself, because it disturbed his smoking to speak.
Another batch of rockets went up. ‘O I never!’ said Anne, in a half-suppressed tone, springing in her chair. A second hand had with the rise of the rockets leapt round her waist.
‘Poor girl, you certainly must have change of scene at this rate,’ said Mrs. Loveday.
‘I suppose I must,’ murmured the dutiful daughter.
For some minutes nothing further occurred to disturb Anne’s serenity. Then a slow, quiet ‘a-hem’ came from the obscurity of the apartment.
‘What, Bob? How long have you been there?’ inquired Mrs. Loveday.
‘Not long,’ said the lieutenant coolly. ‘I heard you were all here, and crept up quietly, not to disturb ye.’
‘Why don’t you wear heels to your shoes like Christian people, and not creep about so like a cat?’
‘Well, it keeps your floors clean to go slip-shod.’
‘That’s true.’