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Haughton, hastily; "you should have seen to it, Colonel; you know I prefer it." "Pardon, Kate; I was unaware of this arrangement, dear." "I am the culprit, Mrs. Haughton," said Lady Esmondet. "I thought we should all be warmer here; the air is chilly this evening."
"Just as I have felt, dear Lady Esmondet, when the social atmosphere at London has become too narrow for me; you both know, how at times, what has been sufficient for one, suddenly develops the bars, as it were, of a cage, which one must burst to breathe freely.
"Be it so; I feel inclined to please him in this matter; but perhaps our kind escort has made other arrangements," turning to Trevalyon. "While we make our entree," said Vaura. "And now as to our route," said Lady Esmondet.
"She can make herself popular if she will; she at all events has the wherewithal to buy their vote," said Lady Esmondet, as she buried herself in London Truth. "Yes, that's true, I suppose she will take," said Vaura, musingly. "You don't know how delightful I find the being again with you, Miss Vernon," said Trevalyon, earnestly. "Such a lapse of time since the old life at Haughton."
"And I am at one with you," continued Lady Esmondet, "for it means a full hand, a full purse, without which one might as well be extinct; for one could not pay Society's tolls; yes, the yellow sovereign is all powerful; one may do as one pleases if one fills Grundy's mouth with sugar-plums; she will then shut her eyes and see with ours, for have we not paid our tribute-money?
On observing his agitation, Trevalyon suggested the turning into another path, but the stern priest objected. "Yes! pray do," said Lady Esmondet, "there is a lovely shrub I should like a nearer view of."
We plume ourselves upon the time when we handed from our docks everything to poor indolent Europe, or only for the ignorant colonies," said Lady Esmondet, ironically. "N'importe, chere Lady Esmondet," answered Trevalyon, merrily.
And he was happy, and so was she, but he did not know it, he only knew he was near her. The morning after the de Hauteville ball Lady Esmondet and Vaura met at the breakfast-table, at noon, Lady Esmondet not looking paler than usual. Vaura was pale for she had slept none, her eyes looking larger and her dainty and flexible lips a deep red.
Meltonbury, Peter Tedril, Hatherton, etc., on the other; Madame well knows how to mix up the brandy cocktail and poker of midnight, with sober 9 o'clock whist and old port, but the scales are weightier on one side. But behold the naturalist, waiting at the door with prayer book in hand, ready for her devotions." Lady Esmondet, Vaura, and Robert Douglas ate their Christmas dinner quietly together.
"As the Briton abroad," said Lady Esmondet, "to revel in the sunbeams, which our gold cannot buy from our leaden skies." A carriage now passed, in which were seated two ladies, evidently English, who bowed and smiled to Lady Esmondet and Trevalyon. "Who are your friends?" enquired Vaura; "I have seen them somewhere, but forget when and where."
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