"
She smiled at me encouragingly.
"May I guess at the attraction?" she asked.
"I fancy," I answered, "that it is fairly apparent. May I, by the way,
Mrs. Van Reinberg," I continued, "ask you a question?"
"Certainly," she answered.
"It is rather a delicate matter to allude to," I said; "but your friend,
Mr. de Valentin, seemed to find your invitation to me a matter for
personal disapproval. I hope that I have not unwillingly been the cause
of any unpleasantness?"
Mrs. Van Reinberg was a little embarrassed. She hesitated, and dropped
her voice a little in answering me.
"Since you have mentioned it, Mr. Courage," she said, "I will treat you
confidentially. Mr. de Valentin has shown a desire to become an admirer
of my stepdaughter. For several reasons, I find it necessary to
discourage his advances. In fact, between ourselves, Mr. de Valentin,
although he is a person for whom I have a great respect and esteem, would
be an altogether impossible suitor for Adele. I am sure he will realize
that directly he thinks the matter over seriously; but you see he is a
person who has been very much spoilt, and he annoyed me to-night very
much.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221