‘Well, I am not sure if I do, Mrs Lumley,’ replied Nora. ‘I think Lady Bowmant is exceedingly good-natured, and no worse in her manners than many women whom I have met who could boast of much higher birth. I know nothing of our hostess’s ancestry, so I can only speak of her as I find her.’
‘That is not saying much!’ exclaimed the other, laughing. ‘To see her go on with that poor Prince of Huhm-Hessetal is enough to make one die of laughing. With his broken English, and her attempts at French, it is as good as a play. And the open way in which she flatters him. He will think he is a little god before he leaves Usk.’
Their ill-nature made Nora better inclined than she would otherwise have been towards the object of it, and she found that Lady Bowmant, though decidedly fast and vulgar, was so kind-hearted and frank with it all, that she could not help liking her much better than she did her detractors.
‘I know I’m an awful Goth,’ she would observe confidentially to Nora. ‘But I can’t speak a word of French, and I want this poor prince, who can hardly speak a word of English, to feel at home with us, so I “butter” him up as well as I know how. You see, Lady Ilfracombe, I wasn’t born to the purple. My father was a poor clergyman—ah, you may stare, but it is an accredited fact that clergymen’s children are always the worst—I have three brothers, the greatest scamps you ever knew. They ride like devils and they swear like jockeys; and, if you put them into a drawing-room, they don’t know what on earth to do with their arms and legs, but not one of them would tell a lie or do a dishonourable action to save his life. No more would I. I am quite aware that I’m not fit to be a baronet’s wife, but my old man chose me, and so I do the best I can. And between you and me and the post,’ continued Lady Bowmant, laughing, ‘I think, considering how I was brought up, that I manage very well. The people down at our place thought I should eat peas with my knife, or something pretty of that sort, the first time I went out to a decent dinner, but I didn’t, and here I am, you see, with a real prince for my guest, to say nothing of you and Lord Ilfracombe. Oh, I’m afraid to tell you how much I admire your husband, for fear that you should think I want to “mash” him; but he really is too handsome for anything. I do so love fair men. I told Sir Archibald yesterday, that if the earl had not been married, I couldn’t have resisted a flirtation with him.’
‘Have one now,’ cried Nora merrily. ‘Don’t mind me. It is quite the fashion for married men to flirt now-a-days; and a lady in town told me once that she should feel quite hurt if the women did not consider her husband worth pulling caps for.’
‘Now, you’re just the sort of girl I like,’ said Lady Bowmant admiringly. ‘I suppose it isn’t good manners to call you a “girl,” just as if you were nobody. Still you are younger than I am, so you must forgive me. You love horses, too. I can see you’re regularly plucky by the way you handled my little mare yesterday, and I should love to make you as good a whip as myself. I may say that, you know, for my brothers and I rode and drove from little children, and it is the only thing I can do well.’
‘Except play cards and smoke cigarettes,’ put in Nora slyly.
‘Oh, you think that all very dreadful; I can hear it from the tone of your voice,’ replied her good-humoured hostess. ‘But my old man doesn’t mind it, and he’s the principal person to please, isn’t he? I don’t know what he would do at Usk, dear old chap! if I couldn’t take a hand at whist now and then. I have my horses, you see, but he is getting a bit too puffy for horse exercise, so he would be dreadfully dull without his little game in the evening—oh, yes, I know what you are going to say, Lady Ilfracombe—and in the mornings, too. Well, I know it is dreadfully dissipated, but it has grown into a sort of habit with us, till we cannot do anything else. But will you come round the village for a spin with me in my tandem? I can show you some beautiful country, as well as some beautiful cobs. Sir Archibald has made it the fashion to deride my tandem, because once a stupid little child ran right under the leader’s feet and got a few scratches; but you must not believe all he says. Beau and Belle are two little beauties and I am sure you will not be afraid to sit behind them.’
‘I am quite sure also,’ replied Nora, and she went at once to get herself ready for the drive.
‘You mustn’t be surprised to see we are going alone,’ said Lady Bowmant, as they met again in the hall. ‘I never take a groom with me unless I intend calling anywhere. They are no earthly use, stuck up behind, listening to every word you say and retailing it in the servants’ hall. Besides, I never knew a man do anything for me that I wasn’t quite as well able to do for myself. So we’ll have no back seat, if it’s all the same to you.’