"Why, Mona!" Sir Douglas said, laying his hand on her arm.
It was a pretty sight to see how her face changed.
"Don't be angry," she said coaxingly, turning away from the others. "We have had nothing but sentiment all evening, and it proved nauseous at last."
"We will discuss that another time. Come now and have some supper."
Dudley escaped into the adjoining room. He felt positively jealous of Sir Douglas.
"What the deuce did I come here for?" he said, looking round the sea of unknown faces. He would not own, even to himself, that he had come in the hope of having a long talk with Mona. But just then he caught sight of Lucy Reynolds, and went up to speak to her.
"Oh, Dr Dudley, I am so glad to see you," she said eagerly.
This was very soothing, and Ralph seated himself on a vacant chair beside her.
"I hope your father may be able to say the same when I meet him next. I am afraid I proved a heavy strain on his endurance last night."
"Oh no! I will spare your blushes, and not tell you what father said of you at breakfast this morning."