'Only examining it!' he snarled; 'very, closely apparently, and in what quarter did your geographical studies lie? Why, your lips were absolutely upon it.'
'A giddiness came over me,' replied Eveline, ashamed alike of her sudden emotion and enforced duplicity.
He eyed her viciously, and his eyes glittered dangerously.
'At luncheon this afternoon you were more dull and _distraite_ even than I have seen you before,' said he, peering at her through his gold _pince-nez_. 'Now, pray, what was the meaning of that? What ails you--what oppresses you?'
'It is very wrong. I cannot help it,' urged the girl, desperately.
'Like all the rest of the world, you were thinking of--I suppose, Egypt?'
'D--n Egypt, and everyone there!' exclaimed the baronet, coarsely and savagely. 'What is Egypt to you, madam, in particular?'
'Your brother--bosh, madam, bosh! Don't think to hoodwink me. A young married lady should always make herself agreeable, especially to her husband; it is one of the first principles of good-breeding and of wifely quality.'
Eveline coloured with pain and keen annoyance at what these remarks implied; but Sir Paget in his anger was not disposed to content himself with them alone.
'Kissing a globe, indeed! To my mind it is evident that you think less of your brother than of your brother's friend--that fellow Cameron,' he exclaimed, giving full swing to his jealousy. 'He comes, I believe, of a decent stock enough; but that should not have encouraged him to act like the other adventurer Holcroft with your cousin, and dare to raise his eyes to you.'
'A decent stock--an adventurer!' repeated Eveline; and then, as she thought of Evan Cameron's long line of warlike and heroic ancestors, as compared with the peculiar line of the Puddicombes, she laughed bitterly, while Sir Paget eyed her questioningly, and said,
'It is fortunate you were separated. Well, I suppose you won't die of a broken heart, and all that sort of thing, like the girls we see on the stage and read about in novels.'
Roused at last by these coarse taunts, Eveline said,
'Sir Paget, I thought you were ignorant of the ways and meannesses of the fashionable world; don't, please, adopt those of sneering and being jealous--if, indeed, that world is ever jealous, or can love enough to be so.'