Richard, who had dismounted, pressed Mr. Lancelot’s hand.
“I shall not forget your kindness, Lot,” he said.
“Bosh, sir, I always side with a man of spirit. Go up to her, cousin, and do your best. I’ll see you’re not interfered with.”
Richard, blushing, turned away and entered the house. As for Mr. Lot, he thrust his hands deep into his breeches-pockets, looked after his cousin whimsically, and laughed.
What a sweet picture of sanctity met Mr. Richard’s eyes as he opened the door of Miss Hardacre’s parlor bashfully after his knock had been softly acknowledged! Miss Jilian was seated in the window-seat, dressed in a silky green gown that rippled like water as she rose to meet her cousin. There was much lace upon her bosom and a knot of red ribbon over her heart.
Miss Hardacre let her eyes rest only for a moment on Richard’s face. Jeffray was blushing very handsomely.
“Jilian, I have come to ask you to forgive me.”
He went close to his cousin, and stood looking at her with humbled ardor on his face. Miss Hardacre appeared much distressed. Surely his sweet cousin’s eyes were somewhat red and swollen. And were those wrinkles under the lids?
“Aunt Letitia made fools of both of us, Jilian. I have told her to leave my house.”
Miss Hardacre hung her head and pressed her hands together.
“Poor Wilson told me everything, and it was nothing, Jilian.”
“Shamed, Jilian? Let me hear any man breathe a word against you.”
Miss Hardacre suffered her eyes to quaver up for a moment to Richard’s face. The lad could see tears ready to well up into those pellucid wells of light.
“What can I say to you, Richard?” she said. “Oh, I am very miserable.”
How could an honorable and generous youth refrain from going down on one knee, pressing the lady’s hand to his lips, and gazing up with enthusiastic homage into her face? The hot words were betwixt Richard’s lips in a moment, and Miss Hardacre was hiding her blushes behind her hand.
And then, for the climax, Richard’s lips pressed to Miss Jilian’s, and Sir Peter, who had been listening shrewdly on the landing, standing with admirable dumfoundedness before the innocently opened door. Of course Miss Jilian gave a shy scream, and Richard, red as the lips he had kissed, turned to play the hero before the parental demigod.