Mayne had waited in due form upon the Hicks, sent a handsome present to the bride-elect, and invited Teddy to dine with him at his club; but Teddy preferred a tête-à-tête luncheon—his evenings were sacred to Jessie.
"I'm awfully glad you were able to come," said Mayne, as he ushered his friend into the stately dining-room of his club. "I couldn't get half a word with you the other day, and I wanted to have a bukh."
"Oh, it's all right,—Jessie let me off this morning; she is up to her neck, shopping! You see, we are to be married in ten days, and want to do our honeymoon at home, before I get back to the coffee. We intend to live at Fairplains, which belongs to Nancy,—as you know."
"Yes! Mrs. Hicks told me. I hadn't heard a word."
"Well, how could you? when you never wrote to any of us. Nancy was a jolly sight better, she used to send me screeds, when she lived with her aunt, and did Companion, and Tweenie, and Scapegoat. However, that's all over now; as she and Mrs. De Wolfe will live together: they are going down to her country place, after July. I dined with them the other night, and I have heard all their plans."
"Mrs. De Wolfe lives in our part of the world; she and my uncle are old friends, so Nancy and I, will find ourselves in the same boat, meeting every day, sitting next to one another at dinner; in fact, I see nothing for it, but to chuck the rest of my leave, and go back to India."
"Don't be a fool, Mayne! Why on earth should you do that?"
"Knowing what you know,—need you ask? How can I go about, and associate, with a girl——" He paused expressively.
"You can make it up."
"No! I did my best, and Nancy made a fool of me."