“I hope he was grateful to you,” said Charlbury heavily.
“Not in the least! Augustus does not want to be any man’s secretary, for he has a soul quite above such mundane matters as acquiring a respectable competence. I showed him what his future would be, in the prettiest way imaginable! Love in a cottage, you know, and a dozen hopeful children prattling at his knee.”
“You are a most unaccountable girl!” he exclaimed, looking at her in a good deal of amusement. “Did this picture appall him?”
“Of course it did, but he is very chivalrous and has now made up his mind to an early marriage. For anything I know he may be planning a flight to the border.”
“What?” ejaculated his lordship.
“Oh, have no fear! Cecilia is by far too well brought up to consent to such a scandalous thing! Let us have just one gallop! I know it is wrong, but there seem to be only nursemaids in the Park this morning. Good God, I am quite at fault! There is Lord Bromford, on that fat cob of his! I must tell you that he left the ball at midnight, because late hours are injurious to his health. Now we must gallop, or he will join us and tell us about Jamaica!”
They flew down the track, Salamanca always just ahead of Charlbury’s rat-tailed gray, and so rousing Lord Charlbury to enthusiasm. “By God, that’s a capital horse!” he said. “I do not know how you contrive to hold him, ma’am! Surely he is too strong for you?”
“I daresay, but he has charming manners, you see. Now we will proceed more soberly! Should you object very much to telling me whether you still desire to marry my cousin? You may snub me, if you choose!”
He replied rather ruefully: “Will you think me contemptible if I tell you, yes?”
“Not at all. You would be foolish to refine too much upon what happened last night. Only consider! Instead of first fixing your interest with Cecilia, you applied to my uncle for leave to address her — ”