Mr Ringwood looked very serious. “Very bad ton, Lady Appleby, Sherry. Appleby, too. Hope he hasn’t gone to the Fair with them. Can’t be trusted to keep the line at all.”
“Oh no!” said Sherry bitterly. “Not Appleby! Kitten knows I can have no objection to this expedition, because, if you please, they are taking Wilfred Yarford and Brockenhurst along with them!”
Mr Ringwood’s jaw dropped, for he had some acquaintance with Lady Appleby’s enterprising brother Wilfred, and still more with Sir Matthew Brockenhurst. After a stunned moment, he said with great earnestness: “Sherry, dear old boy! No wish to put you in a pucker, but that fellow Yarford — no, really, Sherry, he’s a devilish ugly customer!”
“Lord, don’t I know it?” Sherry retorted. “And as for Brockenhurst — Dash it, I suppose I ought never to have had him to dine here! Ten to one Kitten thinks all’s right because of it! Well, there’s only one thing for it: I must go after them! I’m curst sorry, Gill, but you’ll have to find someone to take my place in our little jaunt. Try Ferdy! You see how it is: can’t help myself!”
“But, Sherry!” protested Mr Ringwood. “Can’t have considered! Won’t find ’em! Not in that vast rout!”
“Well, I can make a devilish good attempt, can’t I?” retorted Sherry. He added with some shrewdness: “If I know anything of Kitten, she’ll be sitting in Richardson’s Great Booth, watching some shocking bad play, or staring her eyes out at a Learned Pig, or some such stuff!”
Upon reflection, Mr Ringwood was forced to own that this was very likely. Perceiving the frown on his friend’s face, he gave a cough, and ventured to say: “Y’know, dear old boy — not my business — but she don’t mean an ounce of harm! Only saying to George last night: dear little soul! Not up to snuff at all!”
“No, my God!” agreed the Viscount feelingly.
“Tell you what, Sherry: if I had a wife, which I’m deuced glad I haven’t, I’d rather have one like your Kitten than all the Incomparables put together.”
“You would?” said Sherry, staring at him.