The Earl raised his brows in quick surprise. “This is something quite unexpected,” he remarked, and opened the door, and held out both his hands. “Charles! What the devil?”
A tall young man in Hussar uniform, with a handsome, laughing countenance, and his right arm in a sling, gripped one of the Earl’s hands in his own left one. “My dear fellow! How do you do? By Gad, it’s famous to see you again! You observe I have got my furlough, thanks to this!” He indicated his useless arm.
“How is it?” Worth asked. “Do you feel it as much as ever? When did you come out of hospital? There does not look to be a great deal amiss with you from what I can see!”
“Lord, no! nothing in the world! I’m come home to try my luck with the heiress. Where is she? Does she squint like a bag of nails? Is she hideous? They always are!”
The Earl stood back. “You may judge for yourself,” he said dryly. “Miss Taverner, little though he may have recommended himself to you, I must beg leave to present my brother, Captain Audley.”
Captain the Honourable Charles Audley started, and gazed at Miss Taverner with an expression of mingled dismay, admiration, and incredulity in his bright eyes. He said: “Good God! is it possible?” and strode forward. “Madam, your most obedient! What can I say?”
“You have said too much already,” remarked the Earl in a tone of amusement.
“True, very true! There is no getting away from it, indeed; Miss Taverner, you did not hear me; you were not attending!”
“On the contrary, I heard you very plainly,” said Judith, unable to withstand his smile. She held out her hand. “How do you do? I am sorry to see your arm in a sling. I hope no lasting injury?”
“Not to my arm, ma’am; none incurred in the Peninsula,” he said promptly, taking her hand and kissing it.