Her Faithful Knight — page 294: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

290 The Exhumation. “Where would you like to go to-day, Mrs. Ransome?” she inquired. “The Zoo, the wax-works, and Hampstead _ Heath are all pretty near. Or do you want to go right down into town?” “I hope you won’t be disappointed, but I should most of all like to stay quite quietly in the house and garden. You know I have been very ill and also much worried lately, and I feel that all I want in the world is perfect rest and quiet for the few days I shall be here.” “Ah, but Aylmer won’t let you go in a few days,” ob- served Miss Read, archly. “Mr. Read knows I cannot stay in London long,” Doro- thy returned, assuming her coldest manner, but painfully conscious that she was blushing hotly. “Now, you are not going to be nasty and disagreeable,” cried Rosa, in dismay, dropping the knife and fork with which she was hungrily demolishing eggs and _ bacon. “Of course, mamma and I couldn’t help noticing last night how Aylmer couldn’t take his eyes off you at din- ner, and how he afterward made himself late for his office work by shutting himself into his study talking to you. You needn’t think I shall be jealous or anything like that. Aylmer and I are just like brother and sister. Of course, I don’t say but what mamma will be a little bit disap- pointed at first. But that will soon wear off; and it’s all her own fault, for what did I say to her from the first? Men never fall in love with the pretty girls who are just under their noses—they always think in such cases that what they get abroad with a lot of trouble must be better than what might be had for the asking at home. Not that,” she added, quickly correcting herself, and tossing her pretty head, “not that Aylmer could have had me for the asking! He’s not my style and I’m not his, and that’s the truth. I like a man with a lot of fun about him and a dark mustache. Of course, Aylmer is “wouderfusy” 5}