Barbara, who was tired of a purely military conversation, changed the subject by asking him how her grandfather did. He confessed that he had not seen that irascible gentleman quite lately, but thought - from the energetic tone of his correspondence - that he was enjoying his customary vigorous health.
"In debt again?" asked Barbara. "Would he not come to the rescue?"
"Oh lord, no! Wrote that he'd see me to the devil first!" replied George. "But I daresay if I come out of this little war alive he'll pay up."
"Return of a hero?" enquired the Colonel. "You'd better get wounded."
"Devilish good notion," agreed his lordship. "Of course if I'm killed it won't matter to me how many debts I've got. Either way I'm bound to win. What are the Prussians like, Audley?"
"I haven't seen much of them, so far. Old Blucher has arrived at Liege, and says he can put 80,000 men in the field. Some of them pretty raw, of course - like our own."
"Queer old boy, Blucher," remarked George. "Saw him last year, when he was in London with the Emperors and all that crowd. Seemed to take very well - people used to cheer him whenever he showed his face out of doors."
Lady Barbara moved away; Lord George wandered off, and presently discovered Miss Devenish again. He apparently prevailed upon her to present him to her aunt, for when Judith caught sight of him an hour later he was sitting beside Mrs Fisher, making himself agreeable. Judith could see that Mrs Fisher was pleased with him, and hoped that she would not allow herself to be carried away by a title and a handsome face. She had little dependence, however, on that amiable lady's judgment, and was not much surprised to see her beckon to her niece to come and join in her chat with Lord George. Miss Devenish obeyed the summons, but reluctantly. Lord George jumped up as she approached, and in a few minutes succeeded in detaching her from her aunt and bearing her off in the direction of the parlour, where the refreshments were laid out.
It was not until the end of the evening, when her guests were beginning to disperse, that Judith found an opportunity to speak to Lucy. She said then: "I hope Lord George did not tease you? He is rather a bold young man, I am afraid."
Lucy coloured, but replied quietly: "Oh no! I knew him before, in England."