“Oh, no, I don’t wish to bury myself there! When Nettlebed has brought me my clothes, and I am fit to be seen again, I think I shall go to the Christopher. Do you attend the dress-balls? Will you stand up with me for all the country-dances?”
She laughed. “Oh, yes, but what will Tom do?”
“Good God, Tom! I must send off an express to his father. I fear he is shockingly vulgar, and will forgive me for my atrocious conduct merely because I am a Duke!”
She rose, and gave him her hand, saying playfully: “It will be well for you if he does, Gilly!”
He kissed her hand, and then her cheek. “Yes, very true! He sounds a terrifying person, and would no doubt make short work of a plain Mr. Dash of Nowhere in Particular. Thank God I am a Duke!”
Chapter XXI
When the news was broken to Belinda that she was to go to stay with a kind lady in Laura Place, she looked very doleful, and said that she would prefer to stay with Mr. Rufford, because ladies were always cross, and she did not like them.
“You will like this lady,” said the Duke firmly. “She is quite a young lady, and she is never cross.”
Belinda looked beseechingly at him. “Please, I would like to find Mr. Mudgley!” she said.
“And so you shall. At least, you shall if I can discover where he lives.”