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To Shelton, bending above those sketches, that drawl of the well-bred maiden aunt intoning the well-bred paper was the most pleasant sound that he had ever listened to. "My dear Dick," Mrs. Dennant said to him a fortnight later, "we would rather, after you leave here, that you don't see each other again until July.
Dennant, Miss Dennant, and the Honourable Charlotte Penguin, a maiden aunt with insufficient lungs, sat twice a day in their own atmosphere. A momentary weakness came on Shelton the first time he saw them sitting there at lunch. What was it gave them their look of strange detachment? Mrs. Dennant was bending above a camera. "I'm afraid, d' you know, it's under-exposed," she said. "What a pity!
"Is that your future brother-in-law?" she asked, pointing to Bill Dennant with a little movement of her chin; "I think he's such a bright boy. I want you both to come to dinner, and help to keep things jolly. It's so deadly after a wedding." And Shelton said they would. They adjourned to the hall now, to wait for the bride's departure.
"Thank you; that 'll do, Bunyan. Ah, Dick! Charmin' to see you here, at last!" In his intercourse with Mrs. Dennant, Shelton never failed to mark the typical nature of her personality. It always seemed to him that he had met so many other ladies like her. He felt that her undoubtable quality had a non-individual flavour, as if standing for her class.
In the ensuing fortnight, chaperoned by the maiden aunt, for Mrs. Dennant disliked driving, he sat opposite to Antonia during many drives; he played sets of tennis with her; but it was in the evenings after dinner those long evenings on a parquet floor in wicker chairs dragged as far as might be from the heating apparatus that he seemed so very near her.
Shelton, doubly anxious, now that his efforts had lodged his client in a place of trust, fell, back on hoping for the best; his instinct told him that, vagabond as Ferrand was, he had a curious self-respect, that would save him from a mean ingratitude. In fact, as Mrs. Dennant, who was by no means void of common-sense, foresaw, the arrangement worked all right.
"You know," began young Dennant, "that this bounder" he slapped the young man Benjy on the knee "is going to be spliced to-morrow. Miss Casserol you know the Casserols Muncaster Gate." "By Jove!" said Shelton, delighted to be able to say something they would understand. "Young Champion's the best man, and I 'm the second best.
To speak truth, he cursed the young man's coming, as though it affected his relations with Antonia. From the interview, which Shelton had the mixed delight of watching, between Ferrand and the Honourable Mrs. Dennant, certain definite results accrued, the chief of which was the permission accorded the young wanderer to occupy the room which had formerly been tenanted by the footman John.
Dennant, of whom he asked this question, lifted his brows, and said, "Ask Shelton." "Half Dutch, half French." "Very interesting breed; I hope I shall see him again." "Well, you won't," said Thea suddenly; "he's gone." Shelton saw that their good breeding alone prevented all from adding, "And thank goodness, too!" "Gone? Dear me, it's very " "Yes," said Mr. Dennant, "very sudden."
There was not the faintest trace of awkwardness about her, yet Shelton could not help a certain sense of shock. If she she did not think things were what they ought to be in a bad way things must be indeed! "Things!" he muttered. Mrs. Dennant looked at him firmly but kindly with the eyes that would remind him of a hare's. "She showed me some of your letters, you know.
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