"Come, trot her out, Sir Lionel," said Madame saucily, as she passed Vaura and Capt. Chancer, "and after I have opened the ball Lord Rivers can have her, and you and I from a tete-a-tete chair, will pronounce upon candle-moulds and ankles."
"Trevalyon will take the ankles," said Lord Rivers lazily.
"At last we are going to bag our game and I, my gold-mounted riding whip," said the huntress, who with Major Delrose seated themselves near Vaura and her cavalier.
"Why how?" asked Delrose quickly and absently, for he had been intently watching the movements of Mrs. Haughton and her escort's.
"By the bow of Diana, Major, I believe you are off the scent, though you heard me make the bet with Sir Peter Tedril on Trevalyon's wife, I bet my dog against a whip he'd take this ball as a door to trot her out by, and so make his peace with Mrs. Grundy."
"You and your dog are always game, and I take sides with you; if he brings her out at all it will be here," he said, absently. But now a look of savage hate comes to his face on seeing Mrs. Haughton smile caressingly on Trevalyon.
"Confound him," he muttered, "he bags game at will."
"Yes, his eye and touch of his hand bring us down every time. I wonder when he'll introduce her; one thing I'll wager that we women will all be hounds and run her down to, earth."
"Excuse me, Mrs. Forester, I must run over to Rose Cottage, I have a word to say to my servant, Simon."
"Oh, that's too bad! hurry back, Major, ours is the first dance," and turning to Sir Tilton, who had strolled up, "one would think the hounds were after him, instead of poor Sir Lionel Trevalyon, as we have all been lately."