“Oh, well,” said the other, and sighed and shook his head discouragingly.
“I took a little notice of ’er,” repeated Captain Barber, “and then to spare her feelings I ’ad to sort o’ let ’er know that I could never marry for Fred’s sake, d’ye see? Then on top of all that poor Fred goes and gets drownded.”
“But have you promised to marry her?” asked Nibletts, with a cunning look.
“Of course I’ve not,” rejoined Captain Barber, testily; “but when you know as much about wimmen as I do, you’ll know that that’s got nothing to do with it. It gets took for granted. Mrs. Church’s whole manner to me now is that of a engaged young person. If she was sitting here now she’d put ’er hand on top o’ mine.”
“Not before me?” said Nibletts, in a shocked voice.
“Before the Prince of Wales and all the Royal Family,” replied Captain Barber, with conviction. “You’ve no idea how silly and awkward it makes me feel.”
“Here she comes,” said Nibletts, in a low voice, “and Mrs. Banks and her daughter, too.”
Captain Barber coughed and, sitting upright, strove to look unconcerned as the three ladies came into the room and expressed their pleasure at seeing him.
“I couldn’t think what ’ad happened to you,” said Mrs. Banks, as she sank panting into a chair, and, unfastening her bonnet-strings, sat regarding him with her hands on her knees.
“I knew he was all right,” said Mrs. Church, folding her hands and regarding him with her head on one side; “if anything happened to him I should know if he was a hundred miles away.”