Then I danced with him. I felt as if I were amusing a nice boy; he hardly
came to my shoulder. I asked him if he liked America.
He wasn't too much of a boy to reply:--
"Like is a feeble word to voice one's impressions of the land of lovely
women."
And then he looked at me. Oh, he did admire me immensely, and I took quite
a fancy to him in turn, though it seemed pathetic that such a poor little
fellow--I don't believe he's twenty-one--should carry the weight of his
title. I danced with his cousin, too, a Mr. Poultney; and wherever I went
Strathay's eyes followed me wistfully.
Meg danced with Strathay and amused me by her elation. She hadn't really
recovered from it to-day.
To-day! Blessed to-day! Lord Strathay's only an Earl; to-day there came to
me--Ned! Oh, this has been the gladdest, most provoking day of my life,
for I had only a moment with him.
It was Mrs. Baker's "afternoon," and we had a good many callers; the fame
of my beauty has spread. They gazed furtively at me as they talked and
sipped their tea, and it was all very stupid until--oh, I didn't know how
perturbed, how unhappy I'd been, until--I glanced up for a word with the
General, who came late, and behind her I saw--Him.
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