“I was afraid of disturbing you and Sam,” said Miss Nugent. “Besides, why shouldn't I speak to him?”
“Why?” shouted the captain. “Why? Because I won't have it.”
“I thought you liked him,” said Miss Nugent, in affected surprise. “You patted him on the head.”
The captain, hardly able to believe his ears, came to an impressive stop in the roadway, but Miss Nugent walked on. She felt instinctively that the joke was thrown away on him, and, in the absence of any other audience, wanted to enjoy it without interruption. Convulsive and half-suppressed sounds, which she ascribed to a slight cold caught while waiting in the kitchen, escaped her at intervals for the remainder of the journey home.
CHAPTER XI
Jack Nugent's first idea on seeing a letter from his father asking him to meet him at Samson Wilks's was to send as impolite a refusal as a strong sense of undutifulness and a not inapt pen could arrange, but the united remonstrances of the Kybird family made him waver.
“You go,” said Mr. Kybird, solemnly; “take the advice of a man wot's seen life, and go. Who knows but wot he's a thinking of doing something for you?”
“Startin' of you in business or somethin',” said Mrs. Kybird. “But if 'e tries to break it off between you and 'Melia I hope you know what to say.”
“He won't do that,” said her husband.