"I'm not amused yet," he said. "What piano-tuner? And why should he—why should you—" "The piano-tuner is a fence," she said, "and she thinks you're it." "I don't understand a word you're saying." "I don't care," she said, desperately. "I'll tell you the whole silly story and you can laugh, if you like. I shan't be offended. Last autumn father brought a man to lunch, quite a nice man—sensible, middle-aged, very well off—and next day he told me the man had proposed for me, and I'd better take him. He'd accepted for me." "Good heavens!" said Edward, "I thought it was only in the Family Herald that such fathers existed." [53] [53] "Laugh as much as you like," said she; "it's true, for all that. You see, I'd refused several before that. It's rather important for me to marry well—my father's not rich, and—" "I see. Well?" "Well, I wasn't going to. And when it came to this luncheon man I told you about there was a scene, and my father said was there any one else, and I said no; but he went on so frightfully and wouldn't believe me. So at last I told him." "Told him what?" "That there was some one." "Yes?" His voice was only more gentle for the sudden sharp stab of disappointment which told him what hope it was that he had nursed. "And then, of course, I wouldn't say who it was. And he sent for my aunts. Aunt Enid's worse than Aunt Loo. And they bothered and bothered. And at last I said it was the piano-tuner. I don't know how I could have. Father turned him off, of course, poor wretch, and they brought me down here to come to my senses. Aunt Loo never saw the miserable piano-tuner, and she thinks you're him. So now you know. And that's why they're taking me away from here. They think the piano-tuner is pursuing me. I believe Aunt Loo thinks you trained the dog to bark at horses so as to get a chance to speak to me." [54] [54] "Do you care much for your father?" he
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