“Oh, pray don’t!” with a deprecatory gesture, “the card-room is already in hand; it is to be the ladies’ cloak-room.”
Colonel Sladen restrained himself with great difficulty as he asked, in a sort of choked voice—
“And pray what arrangements have been made for whist?”
“Oh, a tent will be good enough for the card-players!” was the contemptuous reply.
“I never heard of such management! I shan’t come to this blessed ball!”
“Oh yes you will,” returned Miss Valpy, serenely. She was already at work, collecting and piling up newspapers. “Think of the prawns and pomphret coming all the way from Bombay, and how disappointed they would be not to see you!”
“Ah, and the Agra beauty who is also expected—Miss Glossop; she will cut you all out! Ha, ha, ha!” retorted Colonel Sladen, with angry exultation.
“That’s what people generally say of a girl they have never seen,” rejoined Miss Valpy, coolly sweeping spills off the chimney-piece. “Now, I have seen her. There are twenty prettier faces in Shirani.”
“Including the face of Miss Valpy!” with ferocious sarcasm.
“It is extremely kind of you to say so,” making him a mocking curtsey, “and for once I am quite of your opinion.”