“You cannot have been attending, sir,” said Kitty reprovingly. “I am Miss Charing, not Miss Scorton.”
“Oh, I beg pardon! I did not immediately perceive—!
Ah, exactly so! You are not Miss Broughty’s cousin, ma’am! Ten thousand pardons! My dear Miss Broughty, you are unattended—you have no footman—no maid! You must allow me to escort you!”
Olivia, thrown into the greatest discomfort, knew not how to counter this. Her companion was made of sterner stuff. “Unattended, Sir Henry? When you yourself knew me for an Attendant Nymph!” exclaimed Miss Charing. “Indeed, we shall not put you to so much trouble!”
He protested that he could know no greater pleasure, talked archly of the distinction of having a lovely lady on either arm, and interspersed these compliments with broad hints to Kitty to take herself off, so that there seemed to be no possibility of getting rid of him. But when they had walked a few hundred yards salvation appeared in equestrian guise. Kitty, idly looking at the carriages and the horsemen, suddenly perceived her French cousin, trotting towards them on a brown hack. She waved; he saw her; and at once drew up, sweeping off his hat, and bowing. “My cousin! But what a coup de bonheurl They tell me that to be gent du monde in England I must ride in the Park, so behold me, mounted, d grands frais, upon a slug! I have my reward, cependant quoi qu’il en soit!” He laughed down into Kitty’s eyes, saw in them an unmistakeable message, glanced at Sir Henry, and at once swung himself lightly out of the saddle, twitching his bridle over the hired hack’s head, and saying: “You will permit me to go with you, cousin?” Much pleased with this swift, Gallic comprehension, Kitty said: “Oh, we shall be delighted to have your escort, Camille! Sir Henry here—oh, let me make you known to my cousin, the Chevalier d’Evron, Sir Henry!—has been so obliging as to turn his steps aside to accompany us, but now that you are come we need no longer trespass upon his goodnature!” She then turned, and held out her hand to Sir Henry, adding brightly: “Goodbye! It was so kind in you!”
There was nothing for him to do but to take his dismissal with what grace he could muster. The Chevalier, having discovered Miss Broughty, averted his eyes from her countenance with an effort, and bowed again, saying with mechanical civility: “Au plaisir de vous revoir, m’sieur!”
Sir Henry executed a bow, glared for a moment at the handsome young Frenchman, and walked away, jauntily twirling his cane. Kitty, observing that the Chevalier’s gaze had returned to her blushing friend’s face, hastily repaired an omission. “My dear Miss Broughty, you must allow me to present to you my cousin, the Chevalier d’Evron!”
“How do you do?” whispered Olivia, putting out her hand, and blushing more furiously than ever.
“Mademoiselle!” breathed the Chevalier, taking the little hand reverently in his, and holding it as a man might hold a rare bird.