people in a bustle is the last thing I wish to do! But I find it hard to believe that even the most deplorably top-lofty matron could think it remarkable that I should engage in conversation the niece of one of my acquaintances. I should rather suppose that she would think it abominably uncivil of me not to do so!’
‘ Are youacquainted with my uncle?’ she demanded.
‘Of course I am: we are members of the same club! I don’t mean to boast, however! He is an older and by far more distinguished man than I am, and acquaintance isall I claim.’
She smiled, but looked rather searchingly at him. ‘Are you also acquainted with his son, sir? My cousin, Mr Bernard Trent?’
‘Not to my knowledge. Ought I to be?’
‘Oh, no! He is very young. But he has a number of friends amongst the Corinthian set. I thought perhaps you might have encountered him.’
He shook his head; and as Sir Ralph Colebatch came up at that moment she excused herself, and moved away to find Charlotte. She soon saw her, going down the dance with Arthur Mickleby; and realized ruefully, but with a little amusement, that while she had been engaged with the Nonesuch her enterprising pupil had contrived to induce Arthur to lead her into the set. Some mothers, she reflected, would have censured her pretty severely for not having kept a stricter chaperonage over a schoolgirl admitted to the drawing-room merely to watch the dancing for an hour, before going demurely upstairs to bed; but she was not surprised to find Mrs Underhill complacently eyeing her daughter’s performance, or to learn that she had given Charlotte leave to dance.
‘Well, I daresay I ought to have said no,’ she admitted, ‘but I like to see young people enjoying themselves, which it’s plain she is, bless her! I’m sure there’s no harm in her taking her place in a country-dance or two, for it’s not as if there was to be any waltzing, that you may depend on! Nor it isn’t a formal ball, which would be a very different matter, of course.’ She withdrew her gaze from Charlotte, and said kindly: ‘And if any gentleman was to ask you to stand up with him, my dear, I hope you’ll do so! There’s no one will wonder at it, not after seeing Sir Waldo going smash up to you, the way he did, and stand talking to you as though you was old friends!’
‘He was speaking to me of my uncle, ma’am!’ said Miss Trent, snatching at the excuse offered her by the Nonesuch, but flushing a little. ‘They are acquainted, you see.’
‘Ay, that’s just what I said to Mrs Banningham!’ nodded Mrs Underhill. ‘“Oh,” I said, “you may depend upon it Sir Waldo is acquainted with the General, and they are chatting away about him, and all their London friends! I’m sure nothing could be more natural,” I said, “for Miss Trent is very well-connected,” I said. That made her look yellow, I can tell you! Well, I hope I’m not one to take an affront into my head where none’s intended, but I’ve had a score to settle with Mrs B. ever since she behaved so uppish to me at the Lord-Lieutenant’s party!’ A cloud descended on her brow; she said: ‘However, there’s always something to spoil one’s pleasure, and I don’t scruple to own to you ,Miss Trent, that the way his lordship looks at Tiffanyhas put me in a regular fidget! Mark me if we don’t have him sitting in her pocket now, for anyone can see he’s nutty upon her!’
This was undeniable. Miss Trent thought it would have been wonderful if he had not been looking at Tiffanywith that glow of admiration in his eyes; for Tiffany, always responsive to flattery, was at her most radiant: a delicate flush in her cheeks, her eyes sparkling like sapphires, and a lovely, provocative smile on her lips. Half-a-dozen young gentlemen had begged for the honour of leading her into the first set; she had scattered promises amongst them, and had bestowed her hand on Lord Lindeth, taking her place with him while three less fortunate
‘ Are youacquainted with my uncle?’ she demanded.
‘Of course I am: we are members of the same club! I don’t mean to boast, however! He is an older and by far more distinguished man than I am, and acquaintance isall I claim.’
She smiled, but looked rather searchingly at him. ‘Are you also acquainted with his son, sir? My cousin, Mr Bernard Trent?’
‘Not to my knowledge. Ought I to be?’
‘Oh, no! He is very young. But he has a number of friends amongst the Corinthian set. I thought perhaps you might have encountered him.’
He shook his head; and as Sir Ralph Colebatch came up at that moment she excused herself, and moved away to find Charlotte. She soon saw her, going down the dance with Arthur Mickleby; and realized ruefully, but with a little amusement, that while she had been engaged with the Nonesuch her enterprising pupil had contrived to induce Arthur to lead her into the set. Some mothers, she reflected, would have censured her pretty severely for not having kept a stricter chaperonage over a schoolgirl admitted to the drawing-room merely to watch the dancing for an hour, before going demurely upstairs to bed; but she was not surprised to find Mrs Underhill complacently eyeing her daughter’s performance, or to learn that she had given Charlotte leave to dance.
‘Well, I daresay I ought to have said no,’ she admitted, ‘but I like to see young people enjoying themselves, which it’s plain she is, bless her! I’m sure there’s no harm in her taking her place in a country-dance or two, for it’s not as if there was to be any waltzing, that you may depend on! Nor it isn’t a formal ball, which would be a very different matter, of course.’ She withdrew her gaze from Charlotte, and said kindly: ‘And if any gentleman was to ask you to stand up with him, my dear, I hope you’ll do so! There’s no one will wonder at it, not after seeing Sir Waldo going smash up to you, the way he did, and stand talking to you as though you was old friends!’
‘He was speaking to me of my uncle, ma’am!’ said Miss Trent, snatching at the excuse offered her by the Nonesuch, but flushing a little. ‘They are acquainted, you see.’
‘Ay, that’s just what I said to Mrs Banningham!’ nodded Mrs Underhill. ‘“Oh,” I said, “you may depend upon it Sir Waldo is acquainted with the General, and they are chatting away about him, and all their London friends! I’m sure nothing could be more natural,” I said, “for Miss Trent is very well-connected,” I said. That made her look yellow, I can tell you! Well, I hope I’m not one to take an affront into my head where none’s intended, but I’ve had a score to settle with Mrs B. ever since she behaved so uppish to me at the Lord-Lieutenant’s party!’ A cloud descended on her brow; she said: ‘However, there’s always something to spoil one’s pleasure, and I don’t scruple to own to you ,Miss Trent, that the way his lordship looks at Tiffanyhas put me in a regular fidget! Mark me if we don’t have him sitting in her pocket now, for anyone can see he’s nutty upon her!’
This was undeniable. Miss Trent thought it would have been wonderful if he had not been looking at Tiffanywith that glow of admiration in his eyes; for Tiffany, always responsive to flattery, was at her most radiant: a delicate flush in her cheeks, her eyes sparkling like sapphires, and a lovely, provocative smile on her lips. Half-a-dozen young gentlemen had begged for the honour of leading her into the first set; she had scattered promises amongst them, and had bestowed her hand on Lord Lindeth, taking her place with him while three less fortunate
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