escapade did not go unpunished for the young Fellows. In the evening of the same day, Bradby was visited by angry George Melshem. He threw his glove in his friend’s face and offered a choice.
“Pistols, sabers or swords?”
The Fellowses could not utter a single word out of astonishment for several minutes. They were all in the sitting room, everyone doing their thing. The head of the family was reading a newspaper, his wife was embroidering, Melody was looking at her father at one moment and into the book at the next, and Ralph was drinking tea with milk.
“What happened, George?” he asked, standing up.
“It is enough that you sister disregards my company!” was the answer. “But I will not allow insulting my sister!”
“My dear boy,” interfered Rebecca Fellows. “Could Ralph really dare insult Georgia? It is impossible!”
The guest did not grace her with an answer and continued his dialogue with the younger Fellows.
“I am asking you to come outside, Ralph! I will wait for 5 minutes, and if you are not there, I will take you for a coward.”
When the viscount left, the entire family rushed to Ralph.
“What have you done?” exclaimed Melody. “Have you offended Georgia?”
“Son, I am sure, that is a misunderstanding,” Mrs. Fellows attempted to protect her son. “Your father and I will speak with Earl and Countess Melshem, and we will clarify everything.”
“We shall not speak with anyone,” said the master of the household calmly. “They are grownups, they will handle everything themselves. Now go and talk to George, Ralph. He is waiting for you.”
His son nodded and went out. The young Melshem was waiting for him in the courtyard. He stopped where the view from the windows did not allow their neighbors to see them.
“George, I did not insult your sister,” the young Fellows tried to reason with his friend. “Indeed, our conversation was within the bounds of decency. I did not even touch her.”
“What about the flower! Do you think that eating a rose, given to you by a girl in love is supposed to bring her joy?”
“I do not know what possessed me then, George. I… I did it spontaneously, without any intention to offend Miss Melshem.”
“Well, allow me to inform you, that you did offend her!”
“Forgive me, George!”
“It is not my forgiveness you are to seek, but Georgia’s. And how could you let her run away in tears without any escort? What were you thinking?”
Ralph looked down.
“Have you chosen a weapon?” persisted the countess’s son.
“George, I beg you! I do not want to lose our friendship!”
“Our friendship? Do you think it is possible, after the recent events?”
“I will do anything to save it!”
The viscount took a deep breath, kicked a stone under his foot with a toe of his shoe and mercifully said:
“All right. I think I will give you one more chance.”
“Thank you, George! Your friendship is dearer to me than anything in the world is. Ask anything you want!”
“I could forget about the incident, if we were even concerning our sisters,” stated his friend.
“I am sorry; I do not quite understand. What are you talking of?”
“You treated my sister in an infamous manner, Ralph, and I want revenge. I do not care if it is not seemly in a gentleman.”
“What exactly do you want?” Mr. Fellows stiffened.
“Do not be afraid! I do not want to disgrace Melody. In no case. I intend to marry her in the future.”
“What then?”
“I want you to arrange for me a chance to see her naked.”
Ralph was taken aback by such a request, coming from his well-mannered friend.
“I have never seen her naked myself! Even when we were children! How can I organize that, and manage to bring you in time?”
“Think!” ordered George and, putting his hat on, walked to the gate.
The only son of the Fellowses was deep in thought. He was well aware that it would be impossible to catch his sister accidentally during her bath procedures, however hard he tried.
“Melody, can I speak with you?” asked Ralph, returning to the sitting room.
“Dear, have you and George sorted out your disagreements?” asked the mother, as her children were about to leave.
“Rebecca, do not interfere,” said the father and nodded to his son to leave.
“Why can I not ask about my children’s affairs?” she protested, when her children left.
“They are grownup people, Rebecca. We mustn’t take care of them our whole lives.”
“But we can help them in difficult times!”
“Yes, we can. But only if they ask,” responded Mr. Fellows.
“Your parents took no interest in your life. Were you happy with it?”
The master of the household did not reply, only looked at his wife reproachfully. She immediately regretted her words and came up to Henry.
“Forgive me, my dear! I did not want to hurt you.”
“It is all right,” he squeezed her hand and kissed it. “We are better parents than they mine were.”
“Or mine,” confessed Rebecca, with a smile.
“He asked what!” cried Melody, when her brother voiced George Melshem’s request in her room.
“Please, keep your voice down!”
“And did you not challenge him to a duel?”
“Melody, I do not want to lose his friendship. Besides, you must understand that after a duel with him your relationship with Georgia will not be the same.”
Miss Fellows paused to think.
“Okay, I’ll help you,” she said.
“Are you serious?” Ralph was surprised.
“Yes, I am. You are my brother. Besides, I have no reason to be ashamed of my body. Thank God, the nature gave me quite an attractive figure.”
The young man hugged his sister tightly and lifted her up above his head.
“Thank you! Thank you, Melody!”
“Let
