Finally it happened that the duke and
I were left alone for a minute looking out of a window onto the Mall.
His eyes pierced me through and through. Well, at all events, my nose and
my ears and my wrists are as fine as Lady Merrenden's--poor mamma's odd
mother does not show in me on the outside, thank goodness! He did not say
much, only commonplaces about the view. I felt afraid of him, and rather
depressed. I am sure he dislikes me.
"May I not drive you somewhere?" my kind hostess said. "Or, if you have
nowhere in particular to go, will you come with me?"
I said I should be delighted. An ache of loneliness was creeping over me.
I wanted to put off as long as possible getting back to the hotel. I
wanted to distract my thoughts from dwelling upon to-morrow and what I was
going to say to Christopher. To-morrow--that seems the end of the world!
She has beautiful horses, Lady Merrenden, and the whole turn-out, except
she herself, is as smart as can be. She really looks a little frumpish
out-of-doors, and perhaps that is why papa went on to Mrs. Carruthers.
Goodness and dearness like this do not suit male creatures as well as
caprice, it seems.
She was so good to me, and talked in the nicest way. I quite forgot I was
a homeless wanderer, and arrived at Claridge's about half-past four in
almost good spirits.
Pages:
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156