“She reminds me of some one,” said Miss Burden, plaintively. “Who can it be, I wonder?”
And then the unexpected happened. Mr. Marchbanks announced: “The Earl of Cheriton.”
CHAPTER VII
A THROWBACK
CHERITON entered, bearing a small parcel, with a certain ostentation.
“Caroline,” said he, “as I was coming out of Truefitt’s I remembered that for the first time in forty years I had forgotten to give you a present on your birthday. Last year I gave you a Bible. This year I have brought you this.”
He cut the string of the parcel, and handed the present to Caroline Crewkerne.
With a grim, but not ungrateful, inclination of the second-best turban, the recipient began to relieve the present of its numerous trappings. A small but expensive hand-glass was exposed to view.
“Thank you, Cheriton. A very charming present.”
“I hope it pleases you, my dear Caroline,” said Cheriton, with quite the bel air. “You have so long defied time that I felt a memento of his impotence might appeal to you.”
“Thank you, Cheriton,” said the redoubtable Caroline. “It is very kind to remember an old woman.”