Bobbie read, while Lady Niton stared hard at the girl. Presently Bobbie
began to gasp.
"Well, upon my word!"--he put the letter down--"upon my word!"' He
turned to his sweetheart. "Ettie!--you marry me in a month!--mind that!
Hang Berlin! I scorn their mean proposals. London requires me." He drew
himself up. "But first" (he looked at Lady Niton, his flushed face
twitching a little) "justice!" he said, peremptorily--"justice on the
chief offender."
And walking across to her, he stooped and kissed her. Then he beckoned
to Ettie to do the same. Very shyly the girl ventured; very stoically
the victim, submitted. Whereupon, Bobbie subsided, sitting cross-legged
on the floor, and a violent quarrel began immediately between him and
Lady Niton on the subject of the part of London in which he and Ettie
were to live. Fiercely the conflict waxed and waned, while the young
girl's soft irrepressible laughter filled up all the gaps and like a
rushing stream carried away the detritus--the tempers and rancors and
scorns--left by former convulsions.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, Diana and Sir James paced the garden.
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