第83章

Lord Silverbridge found himself close to Lady Mabel and Tregear, and also to Miss Cassewary, who had now joined Lady Mabel. He had been much struck with the American beauty, but was not on that account the less anxious to carry out his great plan. It was essentially necessary that he should do so at once, because the matter had been settled between him and his father. He was anxious to assure her that if she would consent, then the Duke would be ready to pour out all kinds of paternal blessings on their heads.

'Come and take a turn among the haycocks,' he said.

'Frank declares,' said Lady Mabel, 'that the hay is hired for the occasion. I wonder whether that is true?'

'Anybody can see,' said Tregear, 'that it has not been cut off the grass it stands upon.'

'If I could find Mrs Montacute Jones I'd ask her where she got it,' said Lady Mabel.

'Are you coming?' asked Silverbridge impatiently.

'I don't think I am. I have been walking round the haycocks till I am tired of them.'

'Anywhere else then?'

'There isn't anywhere else. What have you done with your American beauty? The truth is, Lord Silverbridge, you ask me for my company when she won't give you hers any longer. Doesn't it look like it, Miss Cassewary?'

'I don't think Lord Silverbridge is the man to forget an old friend for a new one.'

'Not though the new friend be as lovely as Miss Boncassen?'

'I don't know that I ever saw a prettier girl,' said Tregear.

'I quite admit it,' said Lady Mabel. 'But that is no salve for my injured feelings. I have heard so much talk about Miss Boncassen's beauty for the last week, that I mean to get up a company of British females, limited, for the express purpose of putting her down. Who is Miss Boncassen that we are all to be put on one side for her?'

Of course he knew that she was joking, but he hardly knew how to take her joke. There is a manner of joking which carries with it much serious intention. He did feel that Lady Mabel was not gracious to him because he had spent half an hour with this new beauty, and he was half inclined to be angry with her. Was it fitting that she should be cross with him, seeing that he was resolved to throw at her feet all the good things that he had in the world? 'Bother Miss Boncassen,' he said; 'you might as well come and take a turn with a fellow.'

'Come along, Miss Cassewary,' said she. 'We will go around the haycocks yet once again.' So they turned and the two ladies accompanied Lord Silverbridge.

But this was not what he wanted. He could not say what he had to say in the presence of Miss Cassewary,--nor could he ask her to take herself off in another direction. Nor could he take himself off. Now that he had joined himself to these two ladies he must make with them the tour of the gardens. All this made him cross.

'These kind of things are a great bore,' he said.

'I dare say you would rather be in the House of Commons;--or, better still, at the Beargarden.'

'You mean to be ill-natured when you say that, Lady Mab.'

'You ask me to come and walk with you, and then you tell us that we are bores!'

'I did nothing of the kind.'

'I should have thought that you would be particularly pleased with yourself for coming here today, seeing that you have made Miss Boncassen's acquaintance. To be allowed to walk half and hour alone with the acknowledged beauty of the two hemispheres ought to be enough even for Lord Silverbridge.'

'That is nonsense, Lady Mab.'

'Nothing give so much zest to admiration as novelty. A republican charmer must be exciting after all the blasees habituees of the London drawing-room.'

'How can you talk such nonsense, Mabel?' said Miss Cassewary.

'But it is so. I feel that people must be sick of seeing me. I know I am very often sick of seeing them. Here is something fresh,--and not only unlike, but so much more lovely. I quite acknowledge that I may be jealous, but no one can say that I am spiteful. I wish that some republican Adonis or Apollo would crop up,--so that we might have our turn. But I don't think the republican gentlemen are equal to the republican ladies. Do you, Lord Silverbridge?

'I haven't thought about it.'

'Mr Sprottle for instance.'

'I have not the pleasure of knowing Mr Sprottle.'

'Now we've been around the haycocks, and really, Lord Silverbridge, I don't think we have gained much by it. Those forced marches never do any good.' And so they parted.

He was thinking with a bitter spirit of the ill-result of the morning's work when he again found himself close to Miss barbarian in the crowd of departing people on the terrace. 'Mind you keep your word,' she said. And then she turned to her father, 'Lord Silverbridge has promised to call.'

'Mrs Boncassen will be delighted to make his acquaintance.'

He got into his cab and was driven off before Richmond. As he went he began to think of the two young women with whom he had passed his morning. Mabel had certainly behaved badly to him. Even if she suspected nothing of his object, did she not owe it to their friendship to be more courteous to him than she had been? And if she suspected that object, should she not at any rate given him that opportunity?

Or could it be that she was really jealous of the American girl?

No;--that idea he rejected instantly. It was not compatible with the innate modesty of his disposition. But no doubt the American girl was very lovely. Merely as a thing to be looked at she was superior to Mabel. He did feel that as to mere personal beauty she was in truth superior to anything he had ever seen before. And she was clever too;--and good-humoured;--whereas Mabel had been both ill-natured and unpleasant.