“I’ve imagined all the time that I was thinking of marrying you. No, Usk, I won’t make any pledges. I’m going to have you trust me.” She laid her white arms, from which the hanging sleeves fell back, round his neck. “If you don’t feel like it, say so, and I’ll set you free this moment, but if you’re the right kind of a man, you’ll believe in me.” “I do believe in you,” said Usk hoarsely, kissing first one wrist and then the other; “but don’t make it harder for me than you can help, Fay.” “I’ll make it just as hard as I can,” laughed Félicia, stepping back, “to punish you for doubting me at all. I shall fairly admire to test your faith and see what it’s worth, so just remember that when you find things in a snarl. You do trust me?” “I do, absolutely.” “Good boy! And you’ll defend me against the nasty suspicious things your uncle says? It’s real kind of him to be so anxious to secure me in the family, but I don’t feel like gratifying him just yet.” “But you won’t encourage the King? It’s that which makes him----” “I won’t promise not to go riding with him, if that’s what you mean. Sadie will go around with me everywhere, you needn’t be afraid. She knows what it is to be a chaperon in Europe, and she’ll do her duty to the death. And now I guess we’ve had just about enough high-falutin’. But before we go in the _salon_, just look at these patterns for our dominos for the _corso_ Tuesday. Don’t you think this shade of heliotrope is quite too sweet for anything?” She held it up to her face. “It’s a pretty colour,” said Usk hesitatingly. “But, Fay----” “And we’re going to fix up the carriage with those light-purple anemones--just a mass of them. I wanted hepaticas--you can get real nice shades in them, a much pinker purple, you know--but every one says they wouldn’t last above an hour. Don’t you think it’ll be awfully elegant?” “But surely you aren’t going? Your mourning----” “Silly boy! don’t you call this mourning?” She flourished the heliotrope silk before his eyes. “But maybe, if you are very good and unexacting beforehand, I won’t go. I’d just as lief see it from a window. Now mind, I won’t have you trail me around everywhere. You’ll get your turn with the rest, but it don’t do to be covetous.”