"Rather, she fears me. But she is intrigued, for all that. I persecuteher, as you call it, for her own (and my) ultimate good. But they quitBath in a few days, and then, _nous verrons_!" He rose. "What of HonestDick?"
"Don't call him by that odious name! I will not have it!"
"Odious, my dear? Odious? You would have reason an I called him_Dis_honest Dick."
"Don't! Don't!" she cried, covering her ears. His Grace laughed softly.
"Oh, Lavinia, you must get the better of these megrims of yours, forthere is nought that sickens a man sooner, believe me."
"Oh, go away!--go away!" she implored. "You tease me and tease me untilI cannot bear it, and indeed I do not _mean_ to be shrewish! Please go!"
"I am on the point of doing so, my dear. I trust you will have in ameasure recovered when next I see you. Pray bear my respects to Hon--tothe Honourable Richard."
She stretched out her hand.
"Come again soon!" she begged. "I shall be better to-morrow! 'Tis onlyto-day that my head aches till I could shriek with the worry and thepain of it! Come again!"
"Unfortunately I anticipate leaving Bath within a day or two. Butnothing would have given me greater pleasure than to comply with yourwishes." He kissed her hand punctiliously, and took his leave. At thedoor he paused, and looked back mockingly. "By the way--her nameis--Diana." He bowed again and swept out, as Lavinia buried her face inthe cushions and burst into tears.
It was thus that Richard found her, twenty minutes la
ter, and hisconcern was so great that it in part restored her spirits, and she spenta quiet and, for him, blissful evening, playing at piquet.
In the middle of a game she suddenly flung down her hand and caught athis wrist.
"Dicky, Dicky--I will go home!"
"Go home? What do you mean? Not--"
"Yes, yes--Wyncham! Why not?"
"My dear, do you mean it?" His voice quivered with joyful surprise, andthe cards slipped from his hands.
"Yes, I mean it! But take me quickly before I change my mind! I cansleep at Wyncham, and here I lie awake all night, and my head aches.Take me home and I will try to be a better wife! Oh, Dicky, have I beentiresome and exacting? I did not mean to be! Why do you let me?" Shecame quickly round the table and knelt at his side, giving no heed tothe crumpling of her billowing silks. "I have been a wicked, selfishwoman!" she said vehemently. "But indeed I will be better. You must not_let_ me be bad--you _must_ not, I tell you!"
He flung his arm about her plump shoulders and drew her tightly to him.
"When I get you home at Wyncham, I promise you I will finely hector you,sweetheart," he said, laughing to conceal his deeper feelings. "I shallmake you into a capital housewife!"
"And I will learn to make butter," she nodded. "Then I must wear adimity gown with a muslin apron and cap. Oh, yes, yes-a dimity gown!"She sprang up and danced to the middle of the room. "Shall I not becharming, Richard?"
"Very charming, Lavinia!"
"Of course! Oh, we will go home at once--at once! But first I mustprocure some new gowns from Marguerite!"
"To make butter in, dear?" he protested.
She was not attending.
"A dimity gown--or shall it be of tiffany with a quilted petticoat? Orboth?" she chanted. "Dicky, I shall set a fashion in country toilettes!"
Dicky sighed.
CHAPTER VII
INTRODUCING SUNDRY NEW CHARACTERS
Not twenty minutes' walk from Lady Lavinia's house in Queen Squareresided a certain Madam Thompson--a widow--who had lived in Bath fornearly fifteen years. With her was staying Miss Elizabeth Beauleigh andher niece, Diana. Madam Thompson had been at a seminary with MissElizabeth when both were girls, and they had ever afterwards kept uptheir friendship, occasionally visiting one another, but more oftencontenting themselves with the writing of lengthy epistles, full ofunimportant scraps of news and much gossip, amusing only on MissElizabeth's side, and on the widow's uninteresting and rambling.