His eyes rested on her mouth. “She will hurt Forbes some day, give him a pretty nasty time; but it won’t be because she doesn’t love him. And—she’ll make him forget—when she gets ready. A man would forgive a woman like that anything.”
She turned suddenly and met his eyes. “What are you thinking?” she demanded.
“That Mr. Forbes must be a remarkable man,” he answered quickly. He rose. “I must go over and speak to Miss Forbes; but I shall come back.”
Mabel’s eyes were full of coquettish reproach. Augusta chaffed him for forgetting their existence. Her manner was not her mother’s, but it was high-bred, and equally sincere. She presented him to the other girls, and to Mrs. Burr, who lifted her lorgnette, and regarded him with a prolonged and somewhat discomforting stare. But it was difficult to embarrass the Duke of Bosworth. He went over and sat beside Mabel.
“I think I met him once,” said Mrs. Burr to Augusta, “but he is so very unindividual that I cannot possibly remember.”
“I think he is charming,” said Miss Forbes. “I had quite a talk with him last night.”
“He doesn’t look stupid, but he’s not precisely hypnotic.”
“Oh, there’s something about him!” exclaimed one of the other girls. “I feel sure that he’s fascinating.”
“He looks as though he knew so much of the world,” said another, with equal enthusiasm.
“What’s the matter with us?” demanded one of the young men.