There could be no doubt of this; her eyes were sparkling already in anticipation of the treat. Mr. Standen, returning to his lodging in Ryder Street, to change his dress for the evening’s entertainment, nourished a faint hope that a visit to the theatre might give her thoughts a new turn. He was perfectly willing to escort her to any place of amusement frequented by ladies of quality, but he was much inclined to think that any more expeditions such as those which had rendered the last two days hideous would send him into Leicestershire on a repairing lease.
The success of the evening was assured from the moment that Mr. Stonehouse, a shy young gentleman afflicted with a slight stammer, made his bow, and showed plainly by his demeanour that he very much admired Miss Charing’s style of beauty. To a girl who, besides having lived in rural seclusion, had never been used to think herself even tolerably handsome, the appreciative gleam in Mr. Stonehouse’s eye was as exhilarating to the spirits as a glass of champagne. When they took their seats in the box, they attracted some attention, and several persons, who had exchanged bows and smiles with Meg, looked very hard at Kitty, one foppish man even going so far as to level his quizzing-glass in her direction. She thought this very rude, but she was not altogether displeased until Freddy, observing the interest of the dandy, said in a resigned tone: “There’s that fellow Luss. Thought he was out of town. Pity he ain’t. Never knew anyone more inquisitive! Lay you odds we shall have him here in the first interval, trying to nose out who you are, Kit!”
“Is he staring so because I am a stranger?” asked Kitty, a trifle dashed.
“That’s it. No need to put yourself about,” Freddy said reassuringly. “It ain’t that there’s anything amiss: in fact, you look very becomingly.”
This temperate praise exercised a rather damping effect upon her spirits, but these soon rose again, for Mr. Stonehouse showed unmistakeable signs of wishing to engage her attention. While Freddy and his sister exchanged desultory remarks about their various acquaintances in the audience, he drew his chair rather closer to Kitty’s, and politely enquired if she was enjoying her visit to the Metropolis. He seemed surprised to learn that it was her first; and when she told him innocently that Freddy had been so obliging as to take her to Westminster Abbey and to the Tower, looked quite stunned.
“F-Freddyl” he repeated. “D-did you say W’Westminster Abbey]”
“Yes, and also the Tower. We meant to go into St. Paul’s as well, but the guide book seemed not to think highly of the interior, so we did no more than look at the outside. But we saw the Elgin Marbles!”
“N-not Freddy!” he said incredulously.
“Yes, indeed he did! Though I am bound to own that he did not care much for them.”
“I shouldn’t think he w-would,” said Mr. Stonehouse. “I c-can’t imagine how he was p-prevailed upon to go!” He coloured, and added apologetically: “No, I d-don’t mean that! I C’Can, of course, but it’s very surprising! The best of good fellows, you know, b-but—” His voice broke. “Elgin Marbles!” he uttered. “Oh, Word!”