"I beg pardon, my lord?"
"I can't have you call me 'your lordship,' after every second word--Ireally cannot."
"Why, sir--may I still call you 'sir'?"
"I would much rather you did."
"Ay, sir--thank you...."
In th
e middle of tying the bow to his master's wig Jim paused, and inthe mirror Jack saw his face fall.
"What's amiss now? And what have you done with my patches?"
"In that little box, sir--yes--that one. I was just thinking--here's theharesfoot, sir--that I shall never be able to see ye hold up a coachnow!"
My lord, striving to affix the patch in just the right spot at thecorner of his mouth, tried to control his features, failed, and went offinto a peal of laughter that reached O'Hara in the room across thelanding, and caused him to grin delightedly. He had not heard that laughfor many a long day.
EPILOGUE
His Grace of Andover sat at the window of his lodgings at Venice,looking down at a letter in his hand. The writing was his sister's.After a moment he drew a deep breath and broke the seal, spreading thesheets out upon the broad sill.
"My very dear Tracy,
"So you have gone again with no Farewell to yr. poor Sister, sir! I amindeed very offended, but I understand yr. Reason. As soon as I settmine eyes on Diana I knew the Truth and recognised yr. dark Beauty. I ammonstrous grieved for you, dear. I quite love her myself, altho' she isvery tiresomely lovely, but perhaps as she is dark and I am fair, weshall not clash.
"The Home-coming was prodigious exciting. Andrew was present, Dicky, ofcourse, and me. Mrs. Fanshawe, too, was there, for she knew Jack Abroad,and a monstrous queer Old Man, who was vastly fidgetty and overcome tosee Jack. Then Sir Miles and his wife came, who I thought quiteagreeable nice People, and Diana's Father and Aunt, rather Bourgeois,but, on the whole, presentable.
"Everyone knows the Truth now, but most People have been prodigious kindand I scarce notice a difference in our Reception. Dearest Dicky isgayer than he was wont to be and more darling, and I almost enjoy beinga Social Outcast.
"When Diana is properly gowned, as should suit her position (but Igrieve to say that she prefers to dress plainly), she will make aprodigious Elegantt Countess. I have promised to connduct her to my ownMantua Maker, which is very sacrificing, as I am sure You will agree. Iknow London will go Crazy about her, and, indeed, those who haveallready seen her, which is Avon and Falmouth, are positively Foolish. Imake no doubtt 'twill be very mortifying, but I suppose it must beborne.
"She and Jack are prodigious happy together; it is most Unfashionable,but so am I happy with Dick, so there are a Pair of us, and we had best_sett_ Fashion.
"Pray, return soon, my dear Tracy, you cannot conceive how I miss you. Iwas surprised you went away with Mr. Fortescue, I had no Notion you wereso friendly.
"With dearest Love,
"Yr. Sister
"LAVINIA.
"P.S.--'Twill interest you to hear that Miss Gunning is to marryCoventry. 'Tis all over Town this last Week."
* * * * *
Slowly his Grace put the sheets together and handed them to Fortescue,who had just come into the room.
"These, from my sister, may possibly interest you, Frank."
Fortescue read the letter through, and at the end folded it and handedit back in silence. Tracy laid it down on the table at his elbow.
"I began--wrongly," he said.
"Yes," assented his friend. "She was not--that kind of girl."
"But having begun wrongly--I could not undo the wrong."