"Then let me command you to go away," said Toney laughing, "for Aunt Dove won't like me to leave you, and those poor people will find themselves thrown from the frying-pan into the fire. Mr. Russell will want to tabulate them so minutely."
The Honourable Edward rose quite willingly. He was afraid of seeing more of Toney's "friends" arriving, and in any case he could not very conveniently make love to the heiress in this formal drawing-room.
"If I obey you now, tell me when I may come again?"
"Oh, whenever you like, there's sure to be something going on in the tabulating line for some time to come." Toney's laugh was catching.
"But I may be rewarded with a talk with you, apart from the genteel beggars," he said cheerfully.
"It's all very well laughing at beggars, but if one has nothing one does strange things. Do you know when I first came here I was a beggar, and not at all genteel, Aunt Dove would tell you—and I was glad to make a whistle for five shillings!"
"Was it a successful whistle?"
"I rather think it was! I believe it was owing to it that General Stone left me his money. Now do say good-bye, please."
"Au revoir then, Miss Whitburn, I prefer saying that—— Mother, I really think——" Lady Southbourne always obeyed her son and rose immediately.
"So delighted to have seen you not looking a bit tired after your delightful party," she said to Toney, keeping her hand affectionately in her lavender kid, "I wish we could stay longer—— Now why not come over and spend a few days at the Towers? Wouldn't that be delightful, Edward?"