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The gentlemen were playing billiards part of the day, and riding the rest, in neither of which amusement Owen joined. Madame Duvet did her best to amuse him, and succeeded very well, for Owen was far from insensible to the charms of beauty, and, in spite of Gladys, could not resist flirting a little, in his own matter-of-fact way, with a pretty woman.
The eyes had penetrated the disguise of our courtesy; we were but travellers of a night; the top story was built for such as we. But such a top story, and such a chamber therein! A great, wide, low room; beams deep and black, with here and there a brass bit hanging; waxed floors, polished to mirrory perfection; a great bed clad in snowy draperies, with a snow-white duvet of gigantic proportions.
'I should be only too happy if I could bring anything to the bank, said Owen; 'but I am too proud to be a penniless partner. 'You need only bring yourself, said Madame Duvet, lowering her voice, and giving such a glance from a pair of fine black eyes as few men could have withstood.
'You are right, Netta, but I hope to mend. I must go away to-morrow in order that I may begin. I mean to make some money this next voyage, and come home, and set up as a steady fellow and good son. 'And marry Madame Duvet? Do you know she is regularly in love with you? and they say she has a large fortune in France. 'There it may remain for me. But I wish you wouldn't play cards Sundays.
'Thanks for your advice, but I know my own business best. 'I beg your pardon, Howel, I meant no offence. But although I am going home, I don't know how long I may stay there. Perhaps shall be off to sea in a few days. 'I will use your own words, said Madame Duvet, 'and say better stay at home, and take care of let me see yourself, I suppose. You will run less risk than at sea.
'There again! if you are your own natural self, you leave out all your w's directly; I wish you would be careful, Netta. 'Well, so do the French. I declare I won't speak again to-night, that I won't, you cross, unnatural, unfeeling fellow; and all because you're jealous of Owen. Madame Duvet says he's the handsomest man she ever saw, and that his beard is enough to win any woman's heart.
Owen laughed, and said he would not reply in Howel's words, as he was not sure that he knew his own business best. But he did not add that he should like to take care of Madame Duvet as she wished him to do. Neither did that afternoon and evening at Abertewey improve Owen's opinion of its inmates.
My bed measured two feet across, and the sheet and crimson duvet were so nicely adjusted as exactly to fit the bed, when unoccupied. When I lay in the bed, that duvet was balanced like a logan stone on the ridge of my body shivering under it, and it oscillated as I shivered.
True, Miss Simpson was with her, and in the middle of breakfast, to which, in due time, they sat down, another lady came upon the scene, by name Madame Duvet, who turned out to be the English widow of a Frenchman. She was young, handsome, but over-bold for the taste of a man who was in love with Gladys.
In about a month Captain Dancy and Mr Simpson came over, and it was much more pleasant. We used to go to the opera and the play nearly every night, and Captain Dancy introduced me to Madame Duvet, and she introduced me to a great many other ladies, English and French, and we had a good deal of fun.
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