I was standing at his side and could feel him' tremble--see him turn pale.
“Dear me!” he whispered, in a choking voice; “can she mean me?”
“Of course she does,” said I. “Who else? Do you hesitate? Surely you can't refuse such an invitation from a lady.”
“No; I suppose not,” said he, mechanically. And, amid much laughter from the disinterested, while the faces of Mrs. Rumbullion and his mother were spectacles of crimson astonishment, he made his exit from the room. Never in my life did I so much long for that instrument, described by Mr. Samuel Weller--a pair of patent, double-million magnifying microscopes of hex-tery power, to see through a deal door. Instead of this I had to learn what happened only by report.
Lottie Pilgrim was standing under the hall burners with her elbow on the newel-post, more vividly charming than he had ever seen her before, at Mrs. Crajncroud's sociable or elsewhere. When startled by the apparition of Mr. Daniel Lovegrove instead of little Rumbullion whom she was expecting--she had no time to exclaim or hide her mounting color, none at all to explain to her own mind the mistake that had occurred, before his arm was clasped around her waist and his lips so closely pressed to hers that, through her soft, thick hair she could feel the throbbing of his temples. As for Daniel, he seemed in a walking dream, from which he waked to see Miss Pilgrim looking into his eyes with utter, though not incensed stupefaction,--to stammer, “Forgive me! do forgive me! I thought you were in, earnest.”
“So I was,” she said tremulously, as soon as she could catch her voice, “in sending for my cousin Reginald.”
“Oh dear, what shall I do! Believe me, I was told you wanted me. Let me go and explain it to mother. She will tell the rest--I couldn't do it--I'd die of mortification. Oh, that wretched boy Billy!”
On the principle already mentioned, his agitation reassured her.
“Don't try to explain it now--it may get Billy a scolding. Are there any but intimate family friends here this evening?”
“No--I believe--no--I'm sure,” replied Daniel, collecting his faculties.
“Then I don't mind what they think. Perhaps they'll suppose we've known each other long; but we'll arrange it by and by. They'll think the more of it the longer we stay out here--hear them laugh! I must run back now. I'll send you somebody.”