The Duchess paid no attention to this, but said with her usual buoyancy: “ Voyons, now I am quite happy!” She looked at Mary again. “And you — I think you will be very good to my son, n’est-ce pas?”
Miss Challoner said: “I love him, ma’am. I can only say that. And — and thank you — for your — ”
“Ah, bah!” Léonie said. “I do not want to be thanked. Where is Rupert? I must tell him at once that everything is arranged.”
Lord Rupert, who had evidently been detained outside, came into the room at this moment. He seemed preoccupied, and addressed himself at once to his brother. “Damme, Avon, I’m devilish glad you’ve come!” he said. “The Lord knows I never thought I should want to see you, but we’re in a plaguey difficulty.”
“No, we are not, Rupert!” Léonie told him. “It is all arranged.”
“Eh?” His lordship seemed surprised. “Who arranged it?”
“Oh, but Monseigneur, of course! They are to be married.”
Rupert said disgustedly: “Lord, can’t you think of aught beside that young fire-eater of yours?” He took hold of one of the silver buttons on his grace’s coat, and said confidentially: “It’s a mighty fortunate thing you’ve arrived, Avon, ’pon my soul it is. I’ve got six dozen of burgundy, and about three of as soft a port as ever I tasted, lying back in Dijon. I bought ’em off the landlord of some inn or another we stayed at, and the devil’s in it I can’t pay for ’em.”
“Monseigneur, I am quite ennuyée with this wine,” said Léonie, “Do not buy it! I do not wish to travel with bottles and bottles of wine.”
“May I request you to unhand me, Rupert?” said his grace. “If you have purchased port it must of course go by water. Did you bring a bottle with you?”