“You would?” said Freddy hopefully. “I must say, Kit, I think you would too. Well, what I mean is, if you ever met anyone like that fellow the Fish talked of—fellow who snatched up some female in the middle of a party, and threw her on his horse—dashed embarrassing, you know! Wouldn’t like it at all!”
“No, indeed I shouldn’t!”
“You don’t feel you could marry me instead? Got no brains, of course, and I ain’t a handsome fellow, like Jack, but I love you. Don’t think I could ever love anyone else. Daresay it ain’t any use telling you, but—well, there it is!”
“Oh, Freddy, Freddy!” sobbed Miss Charing.
“No, no, Kit, don’t cry!” begged Freddy, putting his arm round her. “Can’t bear you not to be happy! I won’t say another word. Never thought there was any hope for me. Just wanted to tell you.”
“Freddy, I love you with all my heart!” Kitty said, turning within his arm, and casting both her own round his neck. “Much, much more than you could possibly love me!”
“You do?” exclaimed Freddy, tightening his hold. “Well, by Jove! Here, take this dashed bonnet off! How the deuce am I to kiss you with a lot of curst feathers in my face?” He found the strings, tugged ruthlessly at them, and cast the offending bonnet aside. “That’s better! Been wanting to kiss you for weeks!”
Miss Charing, assisting him to achieve this ambition, was for some moments unable to make any remark. But the rude handling of her headgear seemed to her to call for reproof, and she presently murmured, with her head on his shoulder: “I daresay my bonnet is quite ruined.”
“If it comes to that, I’m dashed sure my neckcloth is,” said Mr. Standen. “It don’t signify about the bonnet. I don’t like it above half. Buy you a new one.”
“No. Just a set of garnets!” said Kitty, with a tiny gurgle.
“Garnets?” said Freddy scornfully. “You don’t suppose I’m going to buy you trumpery things like that, do you? Got my eye on some good rubies. Just the thing!”
“Oh, no, Freddy!”
“And don’t you say ‘Oh, no!’ because now that we really are engaged, I can dashed well give you anything I like!”
“Yes, Freddy,” said Miss Charing meekly.
