“No, no, he is not here!” said Lady Bellingham, fanning herself with a trembling hand.
“Very odd!” said Filey, with a faint, sneering smile. “I understand that Crewe sent word to his house, but got news of him there. I trust he has not forgotten our meeting tomorrow.”
Lord Mablethorpe, who was standing near enough to overhear these remarks, came towards the faro-table, saying: “You may rest at ease on that score, Sir James. My cousin will not fail to keep his appointment with you.”
“Oh, do you know where he is?” said Fil6y, looking him over with a lift to his brows.
“No,” said Adrian. “I do not. But if you mean to imply, sir, that my cousin will not come up to scratch I am happy to be able to set your mind at rest! He has never yet failed to keep a sporting engagement.”
“What an elevating thing is family affection!” said Filey sweetly. “Does your estimable cousin know that the betting is in my favour, I wonder? He was a little hasty when he laid such odds on himself, was he not? I recall that you were of that opinion at the time, my lord.”
“Was I?” retorted Adrian. “I must have forgotten the outcome of your previous encounter!”
Sir James continued to smile, with that air of patronage which made Adrian long to hit him. “But he matches his greys against a very different pair this time, you must remember.”
“True, but you are driving them, are you not?” said Adrian, with deceptive innocence.
Sir James’s face darkened, but before he could speak, Miss Grantham, who had joined the group, intervened, exclaiming: “So it is you, Sir James! I vow, we thought you had deserted us! Do you care to try your hand at faro tonight, or have you a fancy for the bones? Oh, there you are, Adrian! I wish you will fetch my fan from the other room: I have laid it down somewhere there. And what is all this about Mr Ravenscar, Sir James?”