Part 55 (2/2)
”I could not possibly answer for Marian.”
”No?”
”Certainly not.”
”Yet I thought,” with a swift glance, ”that you were the one person in the world who could have told me all about her.”
”You were wrong, then. I have known Marian, and--liked her; but I think no human being can answer for another's likes and dislikes.”
”Perhaps so.” She looks down thoughtfully. ”When is your mother coming?”
”To-morrow. I shall run up to town and meet her, and bring her on.”
”You will be back to-morrow night?”
”Well, she seems to think so; but I expect she will be tired, and stay in town until next morning. In the meantime,” smiling at her, ”I leave the house and the guests and everything in your charge.”
”How delightful!” cries t.i.ta, clapping her hands.
Rylton turns away.
CHAPTER IV.
HOW t.i.tA'S SOUL AT LAST IS STIRRED; AND HOW HER HAPPINESS IS THREATENED AND HERSELF SET AT NAUGHT; AND HOW MINNIE HESCOTT SPEAKS.
”Such a day to go out on the lake!” says Mrs. Bethune, with a contemptuous curve of her lip. ”Really, that old woman must be as mad as she is disagreeable.”
”Well, she could hardly be _more_ so,” says Mrs. Chichester.
They are all in the oriel chamber, the windows of which look upon the lake, and now they can see Randall and Miss Gower rowing apparently in the utmost peace across it.
”She has a perfect pa.s.sion for boating,” says Margaret.
”So I should say. I dare say it seems to her pretty and idyllic.”
”Her pa.s.sions ought to be at a low ebb by this time,” says Mrs.
Bethune with a sneer. She has suffered many things at the old maid's hands.
”Well, let us pray Randal will bring her home in safety,” says t.i.ta, laughing.
”My _dear_ Lady Rylton!”
”Heavens--what a prayer!” exclaims Mrs. Chichester.
”Let us say it backwards,” says captain Marryatt, which is considered such a wonderful departure for him, such a stroke of wit on his part, that everyone laughs in the most encouraging fas.h.i.+on.
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