"I think you do not know Mr. Bettison, Mr. Carr?" she said. "Mr. Bettison, allow me to present you to Mr. Carr. Sir Miles I think you know?"
The squire bowed with a great deal of stiff hostility. Carstares returned the bow.
"You will excuse my not rising, I beg," he smiled. "As you perceive—I have had an accident."
Light dawned on Bettison. This was the man who had rescued Diana, confound his impudence!
"Ah, yes, sir! Your arm, was it not? My faith, I should be proud of such a wound!"
It seemed to Carstares that he smiled at Diana in a damned familiar fashion, devil take his impudence!
"It was indeed a great honour, sir. Mistress Di, I have finished sorting your green silks."
Diana sank down on the cushion again, and shook some more strands out on to his knee.
"How quick you have been! Now we will do the blue ones." Bettison glared. This fellow seemed prodigious intimate with Diana, devil take him! He sat down beside Miss Betty, and addressed my lord patronisingly.
"Let me see—er—Mr. Carr. Have I met you in town, I wonder? At Tom's, perhaps?"