"I am going to ride with you, Dr. Halifax," she said, nodding brightly to me. "I shall come downstairs in my habit in half an hour."
She was crossing the room to speak to some of the other guests when Carleton came up to her.
"I want to say something to you," he said—"can we go to some room where we shall be quite undisturbed?"
His words were distinctly audible, not only to me, but to several other people in the room.
Randall in particular heard them, and I could see that he was waiting anxiously for the reply.
"I want to ride this morning. I have no time for private confidences," replied Miss Farnham, in a distinctly vexed tone.
"I won't keep you long," replied Carleton—"what I have to say is of great importance, at least to me."
"I will give you ten minutes after lunch; will that suffice?"
"Five minutes now will do better. I am very much in earnest when I make this request."
"Very well," said Miss Farnham, in a light tone; "importunate people generally have their way. Come into the conservatory—there is a rose there on which I have set my heart; it is too high for me to reach."