"Come," she said, in a sort of undertone, to him; and she had a pretty, coaxing, goodnatured way with her when she chose, "I am not going to allow you to quarrel with me, Vin; and I bring a flag of truce; and honourable proposals. I saw you were offended with me last evening; and perhaps I was a little selfish in refusing your invitation; but you see I confess the error of my ways, for here I am begging you to ask me again." "Oh, if you put it that way, aunt—" "Oh, no, I don’t put it that way!" she said. "Not if you speak like that. Come, be amiable! I’ve just been talking to Lord Musselburgh—" "And, of course, you crammed all your wild ideas into his head!" he exclaimed. "Whoever heard of poor me having ideas!" she said, with a winning good-humour to which he could not but yield. "It isn’t for me to have ideas; but I may have prejudices; and I’m going to leave them, all on board the _Villeggiatura_ this evening, if you say yes." "Of course I say yes—when you are like yourself, aunt," he responded at once, "and I shall be very glad indeed. And what is more," said he, in a still lower tone, "when you have really met—certain people—and when you have to confess that you have been unjust, I don’t mean to triumph over you. Not a bit. If you have done any injustice, you know yourself how to make it up—to them. Now that’s all right and settled: and I’m really glad you’re coming. Seven o’clock; and the dress you’ve got on." "Oh, but, mind you," said she, "you don’t seem to appreciate my goodness in humbling myself so as to pacify your honourable worship. Do you know what I shall have to do besides? How am I to explain to the Lawrences my running away from their party? And here is Lord Musselburgh come down; and the Drexel girls are expected; so you see what I am doing for you, Vin—" "You’re always good to me, aunt—when you choose to be reasonable and exercise your common-sense—" "Common-sense!" she retorted, with a malicious laugh in her eyes. Then she said, quite seriously: "Very well, Vin: seven o’clock: that is an excellent hour, leaving us all a nice long evening; for I must get back to the _Villeggiatura_ early."