“Shall I tell you something, Jeremy?”
He nodded his head.
“This is the very happiest day of my life. I’m so happy that it’s all I can do not to sing.”
“I’m very happy too,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d like dances till you came, but now they’re splendid.”
The cruel music suddenly began, and there, standing in front of them, was a tall, dark man, very fine and straight. The lady rose.
“This is Jeremy,” she said. “And this is Major——”
Jeremy didn’t catch the name. He would wish to hate him for taking her away had he not looked so fine, just, in short, what Jeremy would like to look when he grew up.
“I tell you what,” the lady said, turning round. “Jeremy, you shall take me down to supper. Yes, he shall, Michael. After all, it’s their evening, not ours. Four dances from this. That’s right. Number eleven. Got it? Good-bye.”
She was gone, and Jeremy was staring around him as though in a dream.