I had feigned to change my mind several times with regard to Bassishaw’s
garden-party, but Carrie had suddenly developed accentuated ideas on the
subject of engagement-keeping.
“We promised, you know, Rol,” she said, “and it would look so bad to run
off. I don’t suppose it will be much fun,” she added candidly.
She was mistaken. It would be great fun.
On the way thither I entertained her blandly on the subject of unmarried
life. I pointed out to her the advantages of a brother and sister living
happily together, as, say, in our own case. I argued on the holy bonds
of kinship, and congratulated her on having a brother who would devote
the whole of his life to making her comfortable. How happy we were!
Carrie moved uneasily in her seat. She endeavoured to change the
subject. Her conscience wrought within her--she was a guilty traitor,
and deceiving the kindest of brothers. Had she been less in love, she
might have suspected something, as I continued in the same strain; but
such is not the way of youth. Her arts might have been transparent to me
for months and months, yet she would at last break the great secret with
most delicious gentleness, in stammers and blushes, and I would show a
dramatic surprise and shock. We see other people’s progress, but our own
love affairs are always unguessed.
It was a great relief to Carrie when we arrived at the Bassishaws’. The
strain was getting embarrassing. A straight military young figure had
evidently been on the look-out for our conveyance, for he made several
false starts, and almost supplanted the more ceremonious reception due
from his mother. This little formality through, he pounced on us at
once.
“How d’ye do, Miss Butterfield? Do, Butterfield?” he said warmly. “So
glad you’ve come.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “I was rather afraid I’d have to let Carrie come
alone, but I managed to arrange it.”
A shade of regret was visible in his eyes, but he bore it nicely. He is
“white,” as Carmichael would have said.
“Of course,” he said, “Miss Butterfield would have been all right, you
know, but I’m glad you came too.”