She tore it in pieces, and went on with
her dinner without a word. Then a voice at her elbow startled her.
"Miss Longworth," it said, "won't you allow me to sit at your table? I
will promise not to intrude in any way, and you may possibly be saved
from such impertinences as that."
He pointed to the waiter, retiring discomfited, and Virginia, with a
little murmur of delight, recognized Mr. Mildmay standing before her.
"Mr. Mildmay!" she exclaimed, holding out her hand. "Why, how glad I am
to see you again!"
"And I you, Miss Longworth," he answered heartily, "but to be frank with
you, I would rather have met you somewhere else."
The colour which had suddenly streamed into her cheeks faded away, and
she sighed. Tall, and very immaculate in the neat simplicity of his
severe evening dress, he seemed to her a more formidable person than
ever he had done on the steamer. The disapproval, too, which he felt, he
could scarcely help showing in some measure in his face.
"Perhaps," she said, "I ought not to have asked you to do anything so
compromising as to sit with me. Please don't hesitate to say so if you
would rather not."
He seated himself by her side and drew the carte toward him.
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