“So I am. My mother’s afraid of highwaymen, or some such flummery.”
George frowned at him. “She can hire outriders!”
“That’s what I told her, but nothing will do for her but to have me to go with her.”
George’s eyes were beginning to kindle. “Oh, indeed? It’s something new, by God it is! for you to be dancing attendance on your mother, Sherry! And let me tell you now that if you are meaning to have a touch at Isabella again — ”
“Go and take a damper, you fool!” retorted Sherry. “I’m a married man! What’s more, if I did mean to have a touch at her, I wouldn’t tell you she was on her way to Bath!”
Mollified, George begged pardon, explaining that he was so worn down that he hardly knew what he was saying. Sherry accepted this, and would have taken his leave had not George detained him to say: “I wouldn’t go to Bath, if I was you, Sherry. You don’t like the place. If Lady Sheringham would allow me to take your — ”
“Well, she wouldn’t,” interrupted Sherry. “Besides, I’ve got a fancy to go there.”
“Why?” demanded George suspiciously.
“What the deuce has it to do with you? Tired of London. Not been feeling quite the thing. Need a change.”
“Yes! You will drink the waters, no doubt!” said George sardonically.