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But when Irene reached the cab she did not get in; she slipped, instead, to the horse's head. Dartie was not at the moment sufficiently master of his legs to follow. She stood stroking the horse's nose, and, to his annoyance, Bosinney was at her side first. She turned and spoke to him rapidly, in a low voice; the words 'That man' reached Dartie.
But when Irene reached the cab she did not get in; she slipped, instead, to the horse's head. Dartie was not at the moment sufficiently master of his legs to follow. She stood stroking the horse's nose, and, to his annoyance, Bosinney was at her side first. She turned and spoke to him rapidly, in a low voice; the words 'That man' reached Dartie.
Dartie said: "It'll put Master Soames's nose out of joint to hear his wife's been drivin' in a hansom with Master Bosinney!" Winifred replied: "Don't talk such nonsense, Monty!" "Nonsense!" repeated Dartie. "You don't know women, my fine lady!" On the other occasion he merely asked: "How am I looking? A bit puffy about the gills? That fizz old George is so fond of is a windy wine!"
The morning of the Handicap dawned clear and bright, the last day of September, and Dartie who had travelled to Newmarket the night before, arrayed himself in spotless checks and walked to an eminence to see his half of the filly take her final canter: If she won he would be a cool three thou. in pocket a poor enough recompense for the sobriety and patience of these weeks of hope, while they had been nursing her for this race.
"Ann tells me," replied Nicholas, "he was half-cracked about her. She refused him five times. James, he's nervous about it, I can see." "Ah!" said Roger again; "I'm sorry for James; he had trouble with Dartie." His pleasant colour was heightened by exercise, he swung his umbrella to the level of his eye more frequently than ever. Nicholas's face also wore a pleasant look.
"A love-lady!" exclaimed Dartie he used a more figurative expression. "I made sure it was our friend Soa...." "Did you?" said George curtly. "Then damme you've made an error." He missed his shot.
James repeated the words, "Bless you!" as if he did not quite know what they meant, and his eyes followed her to the door. She reached home before nine, and went straight upstairs. Dartie was lying on the bed in his dressing-room, fully redressed in a blue serge suit and pumps; his arms were crossed behind his head, and an extinct cigarette drooped from his mouth.
It did not seem so remarkable to him, perhaps, as it might to others, that half Dartie as he was he should have been perfectly faithful to his young first cousin during the twenty years since he married her romantically out in the Boer War; and faithful without any feeling of sacrifice or boredom she was so quick, so slyly always a little in front of his mood.
Val and his cousin were gone to the war, whence came news more favourable; Dartie was behaving himself so far; James had retained his health; business prospered almost terribly there was nothing to worry Soames except that he was 'held up, could make no step in any direction.
'Has he come about his wife? Jolyon was thinking; and Soames, 'How shall I begin? while Val, brought to break the ice, stood negligently scrutinising this 'bearded pard' from under his dark, thick eyelashes. "This is Val Dartie," said Soames, "my sister's son. He's just going up to Oxford. I thought I'd like him to know your boy." "Ah! I'm sorry Jolly's away. What college?"
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