"You can still be my knight errant," and her soulful eyes turn to his face, "he, one of my retainers."
"No divided honours for me, ma belle."
Here their chit-chat is interrupted by the subject of their converse, addressing Miss Vernon, across the table.
"Just come from Haughton Hall, Miss Vernon?"
"Yes."
"All well I hope? more especially my uncle."
"Never saw him looking better; I just ran down for twenty-four hours."
"How is the place looking? I don't mean the exterior, the park and grounds are always beautiful (and thank heaven cannot change), but the interior."
"Gorgeous! never saw anything to equal it."
"The festivities were brilliant, I presume?"