“The anecdote is new to me,” said Lady Hester, superciliously; “and I have little doubt that the worthy man was merely embellishing an incident to suit the tastes of his company.”
“It was the company around his table, as Lord Mayor of London!”
“I could have sworn it,” said she, laughing; “but what has all this to do with what I wished to speak about if I could but remember what it was! These eternal digressions have made me forget everything.”
Although the appeal was palpably directed to Sir Stafford, he sat silent and motionless, patiently awaiting the moment when recollection might enable her to resume.
“Dear me! how tiresome it is! I cannot think of what I came about, and you will not assist me in the least.”
“Up to this moment you have given me no clew to it,” said Sir Stafford, with a smile. “It was not to speak of Grounsell?”
“Of course not. I hate even to think of him!”
“Of Prichard, perhaps?” he said, with a half-sly twinkle of the eye.
“Just as little!”
“Possibly your friend Colonel Haggerstone was in your thoughts?”