Part 19 (1/2)
”He sha'n't. I won't let him. I'll never give him the chance.”
”I think you needn't be so cruel.”
”Cruel!”
”Yes; to the poor man.”
”Why, you don't want another man, I hope?”
”N-no; but then I don't want to hurt his feelings. It was awfully good of him, you know, and _aw_fully plucky.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”IF I EVER SEE HIM, I'LL LET HIM KNOW WHAT I THINK OF HIM.”]
”Well, I should think that you would prefer avoiding him, in your peculiar situation.”
”Yes, but he may feel hurt.”
”Oh, he may see you once or twice with me.”
”But he may want to see me alone, and what _can_ I do?”
”Really now, Minnie, you must remember that you are in a serious position. There is that wretched Captain Kirby.”
”I know,” said Minnie, with a sigh.
”And that dreadful American. By-the-way, darling, you have never told me his name. It isn't of any consequence, but I should like to know the American's name.”
”It's--Rufus K. Gunn.”
”Rufus K. Gunn; what a funny name! and what in the world is 'K' for?”
”Oh, nothing. He says it is the fas.h.i.+on in his country to have some letter of the alphabet between one's names, and he chose 'K,' because it was so awfully uncommon. Isn't it funny, Kitty darling?”
”Oh dear!” sighed her sister; ”and then there is that pertinacious Count Girasole. Think what trouble we had in getting quietly rid of him. I'm afraid all the time that he will not stay at Florence, as he said, for he seems to have no fixed abode. First he was going to Rome, and then Venice, and at last he committed himself to a statement that he had to remain at Florence, and so enabled us to get rid of him. But I know he'll come upon us again somewhere, and then we'll have all the trouble over again. Oh dear! Well, Minnie darling, do you know the name of this last one?”
”Oh yes.”
”What is it?”
”It's a funny name,” said Minnie; ”a very funny name.”
”Tell it to me.”
”It's Scone Dacres; and isn't that a funny name?”
Mrs. Willoughby started at the mention of that name. Then she turned away her head, and did not say a word for a long time.
”Kitty!”