A shade of admiration came into her eyes; she said appreciatively: "The deuce take it! I believe yes, I believe that was a snub! But you must not snub me!"
He turned towards her, and took both hands in a strong clasp. "Don't speak ill of yourself, and I won't. There!" He raised her hands one after another to his lips, and lightly kissed them. "My dance, I think, Lady Barbara?"
They went back into the ballroom; the Colonel's arm encircled that supple waist; a gloved hand lay light as a feather on his shoulder; Barbara murmured: "You waltz charmingly, Colonel."
"So do you, Lady Barbara."
She stole a mischievous glance up at his face. "That was to be expected. It is still thought a trifle fast in England, you know."
From a little distance, Georgiana Lennox, circling round very dashingly with Lord Hay, caught sight of them, and promptly exclaimed: "Oh, how infamous!"
"Where? Who?" demanded Hay.
"Over there, stupid! Don't you see? Bab Childe has seized on one of the nicest men in Brussels! Of all the wretched pieces of work! I do think she might be content with her odious Lavisse, and not steal Charles Audley as well!"
"Lucky devil!" said Hay.
"Sir!" Georgiana in outraged accents. "Take me back to Mama this instant, if you please!"