Stanley had tried to kiss Dorothy, and she had slapped his face.
Fortunately he had taken the blow good-humoredly, and was pouring into her unwilling ear a fusillade of boorish compliments when.

I entered the parlor.
I said, "The coach is ready." The ladies moved toward the door.

"I am going to ride with you, my beauty," said his Lordship.
"That you shall not do," retorted Dorothy, with blazing eyes.
"That I will do," he answered.

"The roads are free to all, and you cannot keep me from following you." Dorothy was aware of her predicament, and I too saw it, but could find no way out of it.

I was troubled a moment; but my fear was needless, for Dorothy was equal to the occasion.
"We should like your company, Cousin Stanley," replied Dorothy, without a trace of anger in her manner, "but we cannot let you ride with us in the face of the storm that is brewing." "We won't mind the storm, will we, Tod?
We are going with our cousin." "If you insist upon being so kind to us," said Dorothy, "you may come.