Lady Jersey followed the direction of the Earl’s glance, and shot him one quick, shrewd look. “My dear Worth, I have always agreed with you,” she said saucily. “She is lovely—quite beautiful!”
The Earl turned his eyes upon her. “Don’t talk, Sally: you interrupt Miss Crewe.”
And indeed by this time Miss Crewe had run one hand across the strings of the harp, and was about to begin.
Mrs. Crewe, anxiously watching his lordship, had the doubtful felicity of seeing that he kept his word to her. Beyond bestowing one cursory glance upon the fair performer, he did not look at her again, but inspected instead his companion’s famous pink pearls. He did indeed join in the applause that greeted the song, but with all his habitual languor. Miss Crewe was begged to sing again, though not by him, and after a little show of reluctance, complied. My Lord Worth sank his chin in his cravat, and gazed abstractedly before him.
The second piece being at an end, and Miss Crewe properly complimented and thanked, Lady Jersey leaned forward impulsively and addressed Miss Taverner. “Miss Taverner, surely I am not mistaken in thinking that you play, and sing too?”
Judith looked up. “Very indifferently, ma’am. I have no skill on the harp.”
“But the pianoforte! I am persuaded you could give us all great pleasure if you would!”
The Duchess at once added her entreaties to Lady Jersey’s, and Lord Alvanley, deserting Miss Crewe, went across to her, and said in his cheerful way: “Now, do pray sing for us, Miss Taverner! We can never be brought to believe that you don’t sing, you know! Do you not give us all the lead in everything?”
Judith coloured, and shook her head. “No, indeed; you put me quite out of countenance. My performance on the pianoforte is nothing at all out of the common, I assure you.”
The Duchess said kindly: “Do not be doing anything you would rather not, Miss Taverner. but I believe I can engage for it we shall all listen to you with considerable pleasure.”