RED GODWYN
Stornham Court had taken its proper position in the county as a place which was equal to social exchange in the matter of entertainment.Sir Nigel and Lady Anstruthers had given a garden party, according to the decrees of the law obtaining in country neighbourhoods.The curiosity to behold Miss Vanderpoel, and the change which had been worked in the well-known desolation and disrepair, precluded the possibility of the refusal of any invitations sent, the recipient being in his or her right mind, and sound in wind and limb.That astonishing things had been accomplished, and that the party was a successful affair, could not but be accepted as truths.Garden parties had been heard of, were a trifle repetitional, and even dull, but at this one there was real music and real dancing, and clever entertainments were given at intervals in a green-embowered little theatre, erected for the occasion.These were agreeable additions to mere food and conversation, which were capable of palling.
To the garden party the Anstruthers did not confine themselves.There were dinner parties at Stornham, and they also were successful functions.The guests were of those who make for the success of such entertainments.
"I called upon Mount Dunstan this afternoon," Sir Nigel said one evening, before the first of these dinners."He might expect it, as one is asking him to dine.I wish him to be asked.
The Dunholms have taken him up so tremendously that no festivity seems complete without him."He had been invited to the garden party, and had appeared, but Betty had seen little of him.It is easy to see little of a guest at an out-of-door festivity.In assisting Rosalie to attend to her visitors she had been much occupied, but she had known that she might have seen more of him, if he had intended that it should be so.He did not--for reasons of his own--intend that it should be so, and this she became aware of.So she walked, played in the bowling green, danced and talked with Westholt, Tommy Alanby and others.
"He does not want to talk to me.He will not, if he can avoid it," was what she said to herself.
She saw that he rather sought out Mary Lithcom, who was not accustomed to receiving special attention.The two walked together, danced together, and in adjoining chairs watched the performance in the embowered theatre.Lady Mary enjoyed her companion very much, but she wondered why he had attached himself to her.
Betty Vanderpoel asked herself what they talked to each other about, and did not suspect the truth, which was that they talked a good deal of herself.
"Have you seen much of Miss Vanderpoel?" Lady Mary had begun by asking.
"I have SEEN her a good deal, as no doubt you have."Lady Mary's plain face expressed a somewhat touched reflectiveness.
"Do you know," she said, "that the garden parties have been a different thing this whole summer, just because one always knew one would see her at them?"A short laugh from Mount Dunstan.
"Jane and I have gone to every garden party within twenty miles, ever since we left the schoolroom.And we are very tired of them.But this year we have quite cheered up.When we are dressing to go to something dull, we say to each other, `Well, at any rate, Miss Vanderpoel will be there, and we shall see what she has on, and how her things are made,' and that's something--besides the fun of watching people make up to her, and hearing them talk about the men who want to marry her, and wonder which one she will take.She will not take anyone in this place," the nice turned-up nose slightly suggesting a derisive sniff."Who is there who is suitable?"Mount Dunstan laughed shortly again.
"How do you know I am not an aspirant myself?" he said.
He had a mirthless sense of enjoyment in his own brazenness.
Only he himself knew how brazen the speech was.
Lady Mary looked at him with entire composure.
"I am quite sure you are not an aspirant for anybody.And Ihappen to know that you dislike moneyed international marriages.
You are so obviously British that, even if I had not been told that, I should know it was true.Miss Vanderpoel herself knows it is true.""Does she?"
"Lady Alanby spoke of it to Sir Nigel, and I heard Sir Nigel tell her.""Exactly the kind of unnecessary thing he would be likely to repeat." He cast the subject aside as if it were a worthless superfluity and went on: "When you say there is no one suitable, you surely forget Lord Westholt.""Yes, it's true I forgot him for the moment.But--" with a laugh--"one rather feels as if she would require a royal duke or something of that sort.""You think she expects that kind of thing?" rather indifferently.
"She? She doesn't think of the subject.She simply thinks of other things--of Lady Anstruthers and Ughtred, of the work at Stornham and the village life, which gives her new emotions and interest.She also thinks about being nice to people.She is nicer than any girl I know.""You feel, however, she has a right to expect it?" still without more than a casual air of interest.
"Well, what do you feel yourself?" said Lady Mary."Women who look like that--even when they are not millionairesses--usually marry whom they choose.I do not believe that the two beautiful Miss Gunnings rolled into one would have made anything as undeniable as she is.One has seen portraits of them.Look at her as she stands there talking to Tommy and Lord Dunholm!"Internally Mount Dunstan was saying: "I am looking at her, thank you," and setting his teeth a little.
But Lady Mary was launched upon a subject which swept her along with it, and she--so to speak--ground the thing in.
"Look at the turn of her head! Look at her mouth and chin, and her eyes with the lashes sweeping over them when she looks down!
You must have noticed the effect when she lifts them suddenly to look at you.It's so odd and lovely that it--it almost----""Almost makes you jump," ended Mount Dunstan drily.
She did not laugh and, in fact, her expression became rather sympathetically serious.