Cotillion

‘Now, Kit, don’t say we must quarrel, because I won’t do it!’ begged Freddy.

‘Oh, no, how could I quarrel with you? I think we should tell everyone that we—find we are not suited.’

‘No, we shouldn’t,’ said Freddy. ‘Silly thing to say, because everyone must know it ain’t true. Got a better notion. Daresay you won’t like it, but it’s what I should like.’

‘What is it?’ asked Miss Charing rather huskily.

‘Send that dashed notice to the Gazette, and get married,’ replied Freddy.

Something that sounded suspiciously like a sob broke from Miss Charing. ‘Oh, no, no! Freddy, pray do not! You know it was all my doing! You never wanted to be engaged to me!’

‘No, I didn’t,’ he acknowledged. ‘Thing is, changed my mind! Haven’t said anything, because, to tell you the truth, I thought Jack was right: got engaged to me to make him jealous.’

Miss Charing blew her nose. ‘I did. I was utterly wicked, and shameless, and stupid!’

‘No, no! Very understandable thing to do. Devil of a fellow, Jack! Trouble is—wouldn’t make you a good husband, Kit. Been worrying me for a long time. Thought you was in love with him. Don’t mind telling you it was as much as I could do to keep a still tongue in my head when he asked you to marry him tonight. What I mean is, like you to have everything you want. Wished it was me, and not Jack, that’s all.’

Miss Charing raised her face from her handkerchief. ‘I was never in love with Jack in my life!’ she said. ‘I thought I was, but I know now it was no such thing. He seemed just like all the heroes in books, but I soon found that he is not like them at all.’

‘No,’ agreed Freddy. ‘I’m afraid I ain’t either, Kit.’

‘Of course you are not! No one is! And if somebody was, I should think him quite odious!’

‘You would?’ said Freddy hopefully. ‘I must say, Kit, I think you would too. Well, what I mean is, if you ever met anyone like that fellow the Fish talked of—fellow who snatched up some female in the middle of a party, and threw her on his horse—dashed embarrassing, you know! Wouldn’t like it at all!’

‘No, indeed I shouldn’t!’

‘You don’t feel you could marry me instead? Got no brains, of course, and I ain’t a handsome fellow, like Jack, but I love you. Don’t think I could ever love anyone else. Daresay it ain’t any use telling you, but—well, there it is!’

‘Oh, Freddy, Freddy!’ sobbed Miss Charing.

‘No, no, Kit, don’t cry!’ begged Freddy, putting his arm round her. ‘Can’t bear you not to be happy! I won’t say another word. Never thought there was any hope for me. Just wanted to tell you.’

‘Freddy, I love you with all my heart!’ Kitty said, turning within his arm, and casting both her own round his neck. ‘Much, much more than you could possibly love me!’

‘You do?’ exclaimed Freddy, tightening his hold. ‘Well, by Jove! Here, take this dashed bonnet off! How the deuce am I to kiss you with a lot of curst feathers in my face?’ He found the strings, tugged ruthlessly at them, and cast the offending bonnet aside. ‘That’s better! Been wanting to kiss you for weeks!’

Miss Charing, assisting him to achieve this ambition, was for some moments unable to make any remark. But the rude handling of her headgear seemed to her to call for reproof, and she presently murmured, with her head on his shoulder: ‘I daresay my bonnet is quite ruined.’

‘If it comes to that, I’m dashed sure my neckcloth is,’ said Mr Standen. ‘It don’t signify about the bonnet. I don’t like it above half. Buy you a new one.’

‘No. Just a set of garnets!’ said Kitty, with a tiny gurgle.

‘Garnets?’ said Freddy scornfully. ‘You don’t suppose I’m going to buy you trumpery things like that, do you? Got my eye on some good rubies. Just the thing!’

‘Oh, no, Freddy!’

‘And don’t you say “Oh, no!” because now that we really are engaged, I can dashed well give you anything I like!’

‘Yes, Freddy,’ said Miss Charing meekly.