“Well, I am prepared to listen. It would be quite superfluous to tell me you are in love with her, for I know that very well. Indeed, if I am not mistaken, you were interrupted in making a proposal this very morning!”
“I own the soft impeachment. But the interruption seems to have been fortunate, for I should have got into a serious scrape if the proposal had been actually made.”
“How so?” she exclaimed in astonishment.
“Mrs. Calverley holds her step-daughter's destiny—that is, her fortune—in her own hands; and has since given me clearly to understand that, in my case, Mildred would be portionless.”
“And pray what else could you expect? You have been flirting so outrageously with Mrs. Calverley herself, that you have caused her to regard her stepdaughter as a rival. Were it not that Mildred may suffer from your conduct, I should say you were very properly punished. I declare I thought you had proposed to Mrs. Calverley!”
“Not quite!” he replied, laughing.
“Then you have misled her. No wonder she is angry when she finds you so inconstant.”
“Will you do me a good turn, dearest Emmeline?”
“I can't promise. I feel greatly displeased with you myself.”
“I'm sorry for that. But perhaps the mistake can be remedied.”