'You know, I never took it
very seriously. I'm sorry the thought of it has troubled you.'
He went on, ignoring her lightness, and determined to say everything.
'I meant to meet you that night and tell you what I'm telling you now;
but Christabel was very ill and I couldn't leave her. I hope'--this
was difficult--'I hope you didn't get into any sort of mess.'
'That night?' She seemed to be thinking back to it. 'That night--no--I
went to a concert with Charles Batty.'
'Oh--' He was bewildered. 'Then it was all right?'
'Perfectly, of course.'
'I didn't know,' he muttered. 'And you forgive me?'
She was generous. 'I was just as bad as you. The Malletts are all
flirts. Haven't you heard Aunt Caroline say so? We can't help doing
silly things, but we never take them seriously. Why, you must have
noticed that with Aunt Rose!'
'No,' he said with dignity, 'your Aunt Rose is like nobody else in the
world. I think I told you that once. She--' He hesitated and was
silent.
'Well, I must be going back,' Henrietta said easily. 'I shan't bother
about the primroses. I think it's going to rain. And you won't think
about this any more, will you? You know, Aunt Caroline says she nearly
eloped several times, and I know my father did it once, with my own
mother, probably with other people beside. It's in the blood. I must
try to settle down. We did behave rather badly, I suppose, but so much
has happened since.
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