Mr. Carruthers looked almost relieved. It was strange.

"The old wretch! Nice company my aunt seems to have kept!" he exclaimed.
"Could she not take better care of you than that--to let you be insulted
by her guests?"

"I don't think Lord Bentworth meant to insult me. He only said he had
never seen such a red, curly mouth as mine; and as I was bound to go to
the devil some day with that, and such hair, I might begin by kissing
him--he explained it all."

"And were you not very angry?" his voice wrathful.

"No, not very; I could not be, I was shaking so with laughter. If you
could have seen the silly old thing, like a wizened monkey, with dyed hair
and an eye-glass--it was too comic! I only told you because you said the
sentence 'begin with you,' and I wanted to know if it was the same
thing----"

Mr. Carruthers's eyes had such a strange expression--puzzle and amusement,
and something else. He came over close to me.

"Because," I went on, "if so--I believe if that is always the beginning, I
don't want any beginnings. I haven't the slightest desire to kiss any one.
I should simply hate it."

Mr. Carruthers laughed. "Oh, you are only a baby child, after all!" he
said.

This annoyed me. I got up with great dignity. "Tea will be ready in the