"One never knows," Lady Fermanagh responded. "I believe you are half
in love with him as it is, Myra, and if he cared to exercise all his
powers he might be able to induce you to break with Tony."
Myra shook her red-gold head, but at heart she knew her aunt might be
right.
"Your idea, as you have admitted, was to make Don Carlos fall in love
with you in earnest, because he had made love to you in jest,"
continued Lady Fermanagh. "You wanted to have the satisfaction of
'turning him down'--to use the ultra-modern expression--and laughing at
him for losing his heart. Take care, my dear Myra, that he does not
turn the tables on you again."
"How could he?" asked Myra, feeling somewhat piqued.
"Well, it might amuse him to protest that he is heart-broken, to
persuade you to take pity on him and forsake Tony, to confess yourself
in love with him, and then in the end to remind you of his boast that
no woman could resist him, and explain that he did not want you, had
merely been testing his powers and taking revenge for your coquetry."
"Surely, he wouldn't be such a beast!"
"He might--and more particularly if he is in earnest," said Lady
Fermanagh gravely. "No man likes being laughed at, except when he is
appearing on the stage as a comedian. A man in love is particularly
sensitive to ridicule. I wonder how many murders have been committed
in Spain as a result of girls inducing men to make fools of themselves?"
"Oh, Aunt, don't be absurd!" interposed Myra. "Are you suggesting that
Don Carlos may murder me? Do you anticipate his plunging a stiletto or
some sort of Spanish dagger into my heart, or committing suicide on our
nice clean doorstep, because I do not reciprocate his passion?"
She trilled out a laugh and her aunt had, perforce, to smile.
"One never knows," she said again. "My advice to you is not to take
any further risks, and not to attempt to gloat over Don Carlos. And I
think you should fix the date for your marriage to Tony Standish and
make a good resolution to break no more hearts."
"And join a Dorcas society, and wear flannel next the skin, and woollen
stockings and flat-heeled shoes!" Myra added frivolously. "Thank you
so much, Aunt Clarissa!"