"Of course, my dear, Jimmy was only joking," said Sybil.
"I scarcely imagined he had made up his mind so rapidly," answered
Carrissima, "although Bridget is obviously quite irresistible. What an
admirable solution! How I wish it might come to pass!"
"Oh, but, Carrissima!"
"It's no use," she said. "Self-preservation is the first law of
nature, and if she doesn't marry Jimmy she will very likely marry my
father."
"Carrissima!" cried Sybil in the tone of one severely shocked.
"I am perfectly serious," was the reply.
"But a man of the colonel's age! And what a horrid--horrid person she
must be!"
"Oh dear, no," said Carrissima. "You will see what she is. If only
Jimmy effects a diversion I shall feel grateful as long as I live."
The net result of the interview with Carrissima was that Sybil did an
extremely unusual thing. Although Jimmy strongly urged her to go to
Golfney Place, she positively refused to gratify him.
"Jimmy, I am very, very sorry," she insisted, "but I couldn't possibly
go. Miss Rosser really doesn't seem to be quite respectable."
"That generally signifies something rather piquant, you know," said
Jimmy in his equable way.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125