‘Young ladies in society don’t generally bite the corners of their pinafores.’
‘Charley does, and—— No; that’s nonsense. Young ladies in society don’t wear pinafores, so of course they have none to bite.’
At this moment, Captain Bowood entered the room, followed by a foreign-looking young man, who was dressed in a shabby frock-coat buttoned close up to the throat, and a pair of shoes very much down at heel. In one hand he carried a hat that was considerably the worse for wear. His long hair, parted down the middle, fell over his coat collar, and he wore blue spectacles.
‘There you are, young man,’ said the Captain as he pointed to the piano. ‘And the sooner you are done and off the premises, the better.’
‘Very good, sare. Much oblige,’ answered the stranger.
At the sound of his voice, Miss Brandon started and gazed earnestly at the young man in the blue spectacles.
‘Good gracious! Why, it must be—it is Charley!’ she muttered under her breath. ‘My poor dear boy! But what a fright he has made of himself!’