'
And, without waiting for an answer, Aunt Becky flashed out of the room,
and up stairs to her chamber, the door of which she slammed fiercely;
and Gertrude, who was writing a letter in her own chamber, heard her
turn the key hastily in the lock.
When Cluffe, who for some time continued to exercise his lungs in
persuasive invitations to Flora, at last gave over the pursuit, and
returned to the drawing-room, to suggest that the goddess in question
had probably retreated to the kitchen, he was a good deal chagrined to
find the drawing-room 'untreasured of its mistress.'
Puddock looked a good deal put out, and his explanation was none of the
clearest; and he could not at all say that the lady was coming back.
'I think, Lieutenant Puddock,' said Cluffe, who was much displeased, and
had come to regard Aunt Rebecca very much as under his especial
protection, 'it might have been better we hadn't called here. I--you
see--you're not--you see it yourself--you've offended Miss Rebecca
Chattesworth somehow, and I'm afraid you've not mended matters while I
was down stairs bawling after that cursed--that--the--little dog, you
know.
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