Page:What Maisie Knew (Chicago & New York, Herbert S. Stone & Co., 1897).djvu/123

Rh "Oh, I don't suggest that!" Maisie in turn cut him short.

Sir Claude looked as if he could indeed quite see why. "No; it would really be impossible." There came to her from this glance at what they might hide the first small glimpse of something in him that she would n't have expected. There had been times when she had had to make the best of the impression that she herself was deceitful; yet she had never concealed anything bigger than a thought. Of course she now concealed this thought of how strange it would be to see him hide; and while she was so actively engaged he continued: "Besides, you know, I 'm not afraid of your father."

"And you are of my mother?"

"Rather, old man!" Sir Claude replied.

 XI

must not be supposed that her ladyship's intermissions were not qualified by demonstrations of another order—triumphal entries and breathless pauses, during which she seemed to take of everything in the