`` I know you 'll be cross even if you are a minister . It 's about what Jack told you about that man in New York and Aunt Tommy . '' Dick turned as red as fire . `` I 'd rather not discuss your Aunt Bertha 's affairs , '' he said stiffly . `` You must hear this , '' I cried , feeling thankful that Jacky had n't come after all , for he 'd never have got any further ahead after that snub . `` It 's all a mistake . There is a man in New York and he just worships Aunt Tommy and she just adores him . But he 's seventy years old and he 's her Uncle Matthew who brought her up ever since her father died and you 've heard her talking about him a hundred times . That 's all , cross my heart solemn and true . '' You never saw anything like Dick 's face when I stopped . It looked just like a sunrise . But he said slowly , `` Why did Jacky tell me such a -- tell me it in such a way ? '' `` We wanted to make you jealous , '' I said . `` I put Jacky up to it . '' `` I did n't think it was in either of you to do such a thing , '' said Dick reproachfully . `` Oh , Dick , '' I cried -- fancy my calling him Dick right to his face ! Jacky will never believe I really did it . He says I would never have dared . But it was n't daring at all , it was just forgetting . `` Oh , Dick , we did n't mean any harm .
We thought you were n't getting on fast enough and we wanted to stir you up like they do XXXXX books .
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