"Then, Mr. Arbuthnot," she said, grimly, "I wish to have a word with you. I hear you have been forcing yourself on my niece."
"I beg your pardon?" I said, in astonishment.
"Forcing yourself on that poor misguided child," she continued, "and taking advantage of her folly in the most ungentlemanly way."
"If you mean Miss Ormerod," I answered, "perhaps I might explain."
"Perhaps you might," she replied, acidly.
I told her what had happened, and how the mistake had occurred. I was never very remarkably tactful; and, even if I had been, any other explanation than the truth would have been difficult.
"THE EXPLANATION TOOK SOME LITTLE TIME."
"So you supposed," she answered, "that I should have allowed young men to call on me at a late hour?"
That was rather a poser, and I made no answer.