When this delightful business was accomplished to her satisfaction, her sweet little round face a model of serious responsibility the while, she handed Michael the cup and drew herself back once more into the depth of the giant chair.
"I can't behave nicely in this great creature," she said, patting the fat cushioned arms, "and the Mother Superior would be horribly shocked, but don't let's mind. Now, do tell me something about this plan. You see," gravely, "I really don't know the world very well yet--I have always been at the Convent near Tours until a month ago--even in the holidays, since I was seven--and the Sisters never told me anything about outside, except that it was a place of pitfalls and that men were dreadful creatures. I was very happy there, except I wanted to get out all the time, and when I did and found Uncle and Aunt more tiresome than the Sisters--there seemed no help for it--only Mr. Greenbank. So I accepted him this morning. But--" and this awful thought caused her whole countenance to change. "Now I come to think of it, the usual getting married means you would have to stay with the man--wouldn't you? And he wants--he wants to kiss--I mean," hurriedly, "you would be lovely to marry because I would never have to see you again!"
Michael Arranstoun put his head back and laughed; she was perfectly delicious--he began to dislike Mr. Greenbank.
"Er--of course not," he agreed. "Well, I could get a special license, if you could tell me exactly how you stand, and your whole name and your parents' names, and everything, and we could get their consent--but I conclude your father, at least, is no longer alive."
Miss Delburg had a very grown-up air now.
"No, my parents are both dead," she told him. "Papa three years ago, and Mamma for ages, and I never saw them much anyhow. They were always travelling about, and Mamma was a Frenchwoman and a Catholic. Her family did not speak to her because she married a Protestant and an American. And the worry it was for me being brought up in a convent! because Papa would have me a Protestant, so I do believe I have got a little religion of my own that is not like either!"
She continued her narrative in the intervals of the joy of munching another cake.