I don't see anything in that. But this business
with the Rajah is quite different. Of course, I know you are only
amusing yourself, but still it lowers your value to be seen so much
with a colored man."
"Why should you mind? Surely you can see for yourself that Captain
Stafford is to all intents and purposes engaged to Lois?"
"Rubbish! She thinks so, but it's a lukewarm business which could
easily be brought to nothing--if you tried. And besides, I don't want
you talked about. We have been talked about quite enough."
"Why should people talk?" exclaimed Beatrice, with a sudden change in
tone. "What harm do I do? What do they suppose goes on between us?"
Mrs. Cary shrugged her shoulders.
"I'm sure I don't know," she said indifferently.
Beatrice sat back in her chair, for a moment silent. A faint smile
moved the corners of her fine mouth.
"I fancy our conversation, if they heard it, would startle the
unbearable Marut scandal-mongers," she said. "What do you say to a
Bible-class on horseback?"
Mrs. Cary's small round eyes opened wide.
"A Bible-class?" she repeated suspiciously.
Beatrice nodded.
"Yes. I have been teaching him the rudiments of Christianity. It seems
you must have neglected my education in that respect, for I have had
to burn a good deal of midnight oil to keep pace with the demand upon
my knowledge. I tell him it as a story, and he reads it himself
afterward.
Pages:
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178