"You don't?" he repeated incredulously, wondering what Miss Emma or Miss Grace would think of that! He decided not to tell them. "I reckon I'd rather be introduced first though, if you don't mind," he murmured—"I—I wouldn't know just what to call 'em."
Laughing, she stopped with the music, and on an impulse of sheer mischief guided him toward the exclusive young person who had once made her unhappy at the Country Club, one Miss Emily Carmichael. She was not too exclusive, it appeared, to come to the Darcy ball; which she did not seem to be thoroughly enjoying, however.
"Ask her to dance—she needs it," murmured Joan sotto voce as they approached.
"Sure thing," replied Archibald; and as soon as Joan had pronounced the formula: "Miss Carmichael, Mr. Blair," he said promptly, "Be pleased to have the pleasure of the next turn, Miss Carmichael."
Joan went off with another partner, chuckling. She felt that scores were even.
Blair's face fell at this desertion. "Oh, but say," he called after her, "can't I dance with you any more?"
"Whenever you like! Just come and tap my partner and carry me off as you did before. But," she added with a parting twinkle, "I don't believe I'd call him 'old top' again!"
Archibald flushed and understood. "All right," he said meekly. "I'll just call him 'Say,' instead."
He tapped her partner with some frequency after that, though not often enough to be annoying; and Joan also noticed amusedly that he danced a great deal with Miss Carmichael, who seemed quite willing. Exclusiveness was evidently in abeyance at a ball.
Sometimes when they passed each other she called out pleasantly, "Having a good time, débutant?" and he answered in the vernacular of the moment, "Fine and dandy!"