"Is he gone?" asked Mrs. Dormer-Smith, with a momentary twinge of anxiety.
"Yes; he is gone. He had an appointment in the City, and was rather pressed for time; so he could not stay to take leave of you."
"Oh!" exclaimed her aunt, sinking back among her cushions with a smile, "I forgive him." Then seeing May turn away as if to leave the room, she suddenly sat up again, and said with an air of gentle reproach, "And have you nothing to say to me, dear May?"
"Nothing particular! I do not think that is very kindly said, May."
May's conscience told her the same thing. She had yielded to a movement of temper. The most sensitive chords in her own nature had been jarred, and were still quivering. But that was no reason why she should be unkind or uncivil to her aunt; she repented, and, with her usual impulsive candour, said--
"I beg your pardon, Aunt Pauline. I ought not to have answered you so."
"You have been agitated, dear child. Come here, and sit down by me. Now tell me, May--you surely will tell _me_--Mr. Bragg has proposed to you, has he not?"
Mrs. Dormer-Smith would have been shocked if she could have seen her own face in the glass at that moment. The vulgarest market-woman's countenance could not have expressed surprise and consternation more unrestrainedly.
"I think he, perhaps, would have asked me to marry him: but I stopped him."
"You stopped him?" echoed her aunt, with clasped hands. But a little gleam of hope revived her. The matter had been mismanaged in some way. May was so deplorably devoid of tact! All might yet be well. "And why, for pity's sake, May, did you stop him?"
"Because, as I could not accept him, Aunt Pauline, I wished to spare him as much as possible."
"Could not accept him! Good heavens, May, this is frightful! Have you lost your senses? Do you know who and what Mr. Bragg is?"
"He is a good, honest man; and I esteem him and like him."
"And is not that enough? Do you know that there are girls of--I won't say better family, but--higher rank than yours, who would give their ears to be----But it can't be! You are a foolish, inexperienced child, who don't understand your own good fortune. You cannot be allowed to throw away this splendid opportunity. I will write to Mr. Bragg myself, and----"