“The thing is,” said George, roughly, to conceal his overflowing sympathy, “that the dowager has taken a fancy to drink the waters, and nothing would do for her but that Sherry must escort her. She brings Miss Milborne with her.”
“She brings — Oh!” Hero said numbly. “ That is why Sherry — Yes, I see. It — it was very kind in you to come to warn me, dear George.”
He stretched out his hand, and possessed himself of one of hers. “Kitten, there was no use in my trying to keep it from you! God knows I — But I do not believe he cares a button for the Incomparable! He has not shown a sign of it in all these weeks! I own, when I heard that he had consented to come here I was instantly suspicious, and I taxed him with meaning to have a touch at her again. He denied it immediately: bade me remember he was a married man; assured me he had no notion of making love to her. For as soon as I knew Miss Milborne was to bear Lady Sheringham company I offered to take Sherry’s place as their escort. He would not consent to it, but — ”
“Was he so very set on going with them?” Hero asked wistfully.
He hesitated. “I hardly know — Dash it, yes! There was no moving him. But it may well have been as he said: his mother would not have consented to the alteration.”
“I don’t think Sherry would have listened to Lady Sheringham if he had not himself wished to go in her party,” Hero said. “You see, George, I know Sherry very well. And I know, of course, that if only he could divorce me Lady Sheringham would do all that lay in her power to marry him to Isabella.”
“It is very true, but I do not believe it of Sherry. Dash it, Kitten, had he had such a notion he would not have stopped me on Piccadilly, which he did, only to tell me that Miss Milborne was coming to Bath. Yes, by Jove, and he as good as told me also that it was I who had engaged her affections — for you must know that Mrs Milborne’s story was true: Severn did offer, and was rejected!”
“Oh, George, I am so happy to hear that!” Hero said impulsively. “If only the rest may be true! But why should Sherry come here, if you are right? You see, it is as I told you, the night I ran away: it was Isabella he really wished to make his wife, and he took me only because she would not accept him, and his mother had put him in a passion. I do not think he loves Isabella very much, but perhaps he is tired of — of everything, and willing to oblige Lady Sheringham.”
“I do not know: I am not in his confidence. When you first left him, there was no coming near him. He was never at home: spent his time looking for you all over the country. But lately he has been kicking up every kind of lark, as though — Not that that signifies! Plenty of people would tell you I have been doing the same thing myself, and the lord knows I had no pleasure in it! But what am I to do, Kitten? Do you wish him to know that you are here? I own I should be glad to be able to make a clean breast of the business to him, for I have not liked my part in it above half!”
“Oh, no, George, I beg you will not! If he is beginning to forget me — if he should not be pleased to know that I was here — I could not bear it! For he would feel himself bound to take me back, and I am not going to go back, unless — But why do we talk like this? He does not come to Bath for my sake, but for Isabella’s, and you know it as well as I do, George!”