“I do,” answered Jane obstinately. “I played cricket with him when I was eight, and I've liked him ever since. It is AWFUL,” in a smothered outburst, “what girls like us have to suffer.”
Lady Mary turned to look at her curiously.
“Jane,” she said, “are you SUFFERING about Tommy?”
“Yes, I am. Oh, what a question to ask in a ballroom! Do you want me to burst out crying?”
“No,” sharply, “look at the Prince. Stare at that fat woman curtsying to him. Stare and then wink your eyes.”
Lady Alanby was talking about Mount Dunstan.
“Lord Dunholm has given us a lead. He is an old friend of mine, and he has been talking to me about it. It appears that he has been looking into things seriously. Modern as he is, he rather tilts at injustices, in a quiet way. He has satisfactorily convinced himself that Lord Mount Dunstan has been suffering for the sins of the fathers—which must be annoying.”
“Is Lord Dunholm quite sure of that?” put in Sir Nigel, with a suggestively civil air.
Old Lady Alanby gave him an unencouraging look.
“Quite,” she said. “He would be likely to be before he took any steps.”