‘Oh, my love, forgive me!’ cried the earl. ‘What can I have been thinking of? It was the mere force of habit. You know she was here with me, and it is the first time I have been in the house since.’
‘Did you think I should be angry?’ asked Nora, looking back at him over her shoulder. ‘Surely it is the most natural thing in the world that you should think of the poor girl. You would be a brute if you didn’t; but don’t get melancholy over it, dear boy. Come into the Park with me, or let us go down the river together. I won’t leave you moping here by yourself.’
And it was such things that made Lord Ilfracombe say, and rightly, that he had gained a wife in a thousand. He was anxious that she should accompany him to the Derby, for two reasons—anxious that she should see the biggest race of the year, which, of course, she had never yet had an opportunity of doing; and anxious to let the racing world see what a charming countess he had secured. The Dowager Lady Ilfracombe was very much against the idea, and the Ladies Devenish said it was decidedly vulgar and not at all comme il faut.
‘If Ilfracombe had taken you to Ascot, or Goodwood, it would have been different, but the Derby! Why, hardly any ladies go there. There is always such a vulgar crowd, and, coming back by the road, you are bound to be insulted.’
‘Do you think so?’ said Nora. ‘I should like to see the man who would dare to insult me in Ilfracombe’s presence.’
‘But you don’t know anything about it,’ replied Lady Blanche. ‘The roughs who frequent the Derby course make no difference between an earl and anybody else. They don’t know one when they see him, and the awful people you will see on the race-course, gipsies—and nigger minstrels, and low creatures of all sorts.’
‘Have you ever been there yourself?’ inquired Nora.
‘I should hope not, indeed. I would not think of such a thing. It is no place for ladies. I can’t imagine what Ilfracombe can be thinking of to let you go.’
‘Well, I suppose he knows better than either of us, Blanche, and it was his own proposal. We are going down—a large party on our drag. Lady Moberly and the Duchess of Downshire are going with us, so I shall offend the proprieties in good company.’
‘Oh, if the duchess is going with you, it makes a difference of course. No one has ever said a word against the duchess, and she is at least fifty, so she will give a tone to the whole affair and be a sort of chaperon for you; for you see, Nora, though you are a countess, you are rather young.’