“I’m always at home. Come in the afternoon. I’ve such a lot to tell you. I suppose you’ve heard about Miralda and Major Sampayo. I was just going to tell you about it this evening when that wretched old marquis carried you away.”
“You mean your daughter’s engagement? Yes. She herself told me of it.”
“Do you think him a handsome man? They call him one of the handsomest men in the army. And he’s very rich, too. There were heaps of women setting their caps at him.”
“A man who is both rich and handsome is generally labelled desirable. At least in London and presumably in Lisbon also.”
“You will find that out before you have been here long. Do you think our girls pretty?”
“Some of them are much more than pretty,” I agreed.
“Would you like an introduction to any of them? I’ll do it for you in a moment.”
“I am too pleased to be where I am to wish anything of the kind.”
“Ah, you always knew how to say nice things, Mr. Donnington. I often think of that time in Paris, and sometimes I—do you know what I used to think?”
“If I was the subject of your thoughts I trust they were pleasant ones.”