‘Now, what can the old nincompoop mean?’ asked Miss Pen of herself. ‘That there is some meaning in her words, I do not doubt. She is no friend of Mora, I feel sure. Can what she said have any reference to her? But I’m altogether in the dark, and it’s no use worrying. If there’s trouble in the wind, we shall know about it soon enough.’
‘He has proposed—I know it from his manner,’ exclaimed Lady Renshaw to her niece as soon as they were alone in the hotel; ‘so it’s no use your telling me that he hasn’t.’
‘I had no intention of telling you anything of the kind,’ answered the girl demurely.
‘What did you say to him in reply?’
‘Very little. You told me not to say much. Besides,’ added Bella slily, ‘he seemed to like to do most of the talking himself.’
‘Men generally do at such times.—But didn’t the young man say anything about speaking to me?’
‘O yes, aunt.’
‘And very properly so, too. But you need not refer him to me just at present; I will give you a hint when the proper time arrives. Meanwhile, I hope you will not allow yourself to get entangled to such an extent that you won’t be able to extricate yourself, should it become necessary to do so.’
Bella was taken with a sudden fit of sneezing.