Sir Evas knew he had to obey orders, and got hold of Jeanie. He held the list of the other pairs in his hand, but several gentlemen came up to talk to this vision of beauty. Maud kept close to Toney; she could not talk, she could hardly see. What would Jeanie do? and what would he do? Why had Toney done this? How terrible; suppose there was a scene; suppose——
The door flew open and Mr. Frank Weston was announced, but Jeanie was at the other end of the room and did not hear the name.
Toney flew up to the genius and introduced him right and left till dinner was announced; then she paused.
"You remember about—my friend, Mr. Weston?" The genius had bowed right and left in rather a formal manner. He was so often introduced that he barely listened to the names of the people introduced. He was thinking of Miss Whitburn. The big-wigs were pairing off, and solemnly marched away like a regiment of newly-trained recruits, when Sir Evas suddenly introduced him to a lady whose name he did not hear. He held out his arm mechanically; ladies were nothing to him, and he only saw a beautiful dress. A symphony was floating through his brain, he was only acting in a dream, till suddenly he felt the arm he held tremble. He was recalled to earth. They were crossing the hall, and the noise of voices was great Various scraps of conversation about hunting and the weather reached him, and his own name—the great Frank Weston; what a surprise, no one expected him! He looked down and exclaimed—he knew not what.
"Let me go away," she murmured, "you——"
"Impossible! Miss Hamilton, pray remember we are both guests—no one knows. If my presence is so—distasteful to you——"
"I did not know."
"Neither did I—but this chance meeting might have happened anywhere."
"Yes——" Jeanie straightened herself, and they both walked on in silence. They were shown their places, and Frank Weston glanced at the name on his other side; Mrs. Arbuthnot. Jeanie had Colonel Arbuthnot on her other side. They need not speak to each other. How terrible! Jeanie searched for Maud, but she was on the same side and could not be seen. Her heart beat so fast she could hardly speak. She looked for Toney, someone to appeal to. Was she near Frank? Yes, Frank was here, sitting beside her; but of course he hated her. Of course, he was wishing himself miles away; of course, he would never forgive her, never, never love her again. Never—never, she repeated to herself.
Toney's eyes, which saw so much, were looking at them; she could see they were silent, and she noticed they each turned to their other neighbours. Oh! her plan was failing, had failed, and she had risked everything on this dinner. Maud was looking deadly pale, but in spite of all this the talk was loud, drowning nearly everything. Mr. Hales at her side broke the spell.