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But we had not expected that this would come off so soon, when suddenly and unexpectedly that silly Mr. Eastcliff, who has no more brains than a spring chicken, remembered that he had promised to visit a friend who has taken a shoot in Skye.
More than once I saw him, with his monocle in his eye, look round at his friend Eastcliff, but he helped himself frequently from a large decanter of brandy and drank healths with everybody. I was now very nervous, and yet I kept up a forced gaiety, though my heart was cold and sick.
It was a gorgeous chamber beblazoned with large candelabra, huge mirrors, and pictures in gold frames resembling the room it was intended to imitate, yet not resembling it, as a woman over-dressed resembles a well-dressed woman. My father sat at the head of his table with the Bishop, Lady Margaret and Aunt Bridget on his right, and myself, my husband, Betsy Beauty and Mr. Eastcliff on his left.
Eastcliff was so handsome and their tastes were so similar that she hoped I would invite him to Castle Raa as soon as I came back. "Mary, my love," she said, catching my eye, "I'm just telling her ladyship I don't know in the world what I'll do when you are gone."
Vivian, who had much to tell and arrange about. I dare say a great many events had happened during our six months' absence from England; but the only thing I heard of was that Mr. Eastcliff had married his dancing-girl, that she had retired from the stage, and that her public appearances were now confined to the box-seat of a four-in-hand coach, which he drove from London to Brighton.
He certainly was gifted with it himself. From this time, though Valdez still encouraged Dulcie to sing and occasionally accompanied her, the slight tinge of flirtation vanished from his manner. She felt he was only a friend. Did she ever regret it? Perhaps, a little. 'Bruce, said Edith, 'I've just had a letter from Aylmer, from Eastcliff. 'Oh yes, said Bruce.
Eastcliff would say that it was a ridiculous superstition that a woman should have her husband all to herself, "as if he were a kind of toothbrush which she could not share with anybody else," and somebody would add that she might as reasonably want her dentist or her hairdresser to be kept for her own use only.
Eastcliff should speak for the bridesmaids, and I was afterwards told by Betsy Beauty that he had prepared himself with many clever epigrams, but everybody felt there could be no more speaking of any kind now. After a few awkward moments my father looked at his watch and said it was about time for us to start if we were to catch the steamer, so I was hurried upstairs to change for our journey.
'Perhaps we shall never meet again, said Bruce pleasantly, as Edith, Dilly and the nurse were starting; 'either the Zeppelins may come while you're away, or they may set your hotel at Eastcliff on fire. Just the place for them. 'Well, if you want me you've only to telephone, and I can be back in a little more than an hour. Madame Frabelle accompanied Edith to the station.
None of your mouldy old monuments that have enough to do to keep their tiles on." "Then nobody," said my husband with a glance at his friend, "need be afraid of losing his head in your house, sir?" "Not if he's got one to come in with, sir." Betsy Beauty, sitting next to Mr. Eastcliff, was wondering if he would do us the honour to visit the island oftener now that his friend had married into it.
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