"What have those people been doing here?" she asked. "What is
happening?"
Her father unlocked his drawer once more and drew out another of
the red cards.
"Margaret," he said, "Ledsam here has accepted my invitation for
Thursday night. You have never, up till now, honoured me, nor
have I ever asked you. I suggest that for the first part of the
entertainment, you give me the pleasure of your company."
"For the first part?"
"For the first part only," he repeated, as he wrote her name upon
the card.
"What about Francis?" she asked. "Is he to stay all the time?"
Sir Timothy smiled. He locked up his drawer and slipped the
key into his pocket.
"Ledsam and I," he said, "have promised one another a more
complete mutual understanding on Thursday night. I may not be
able to part with him quite so soon."
CHAPTER XXVI
Bored and listless, like a tired and drooping lily in the arms of
her somewhat athletic partner, Lady Cynthia brought her dance to
a somewhat abrupt conclusion.
"There is some one in the lounge there to whom I wish to speak,"
she said. "Perhaps you won't mind if we finish later. The floor
seems sticky tonight, or my feet are heavy."
Her partner made the best of it, as Lady Cynthia's partners,
nowadays, generally had to. She even dispensed with his escort,
and walked across the lounge of Claridge's alone.
Pages:
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219