Pikey’s grunt was in the affirmative, but if eyes could have slain, her mistress would have died on the spot. How dare she offer one of her father’s choicest vintages to such a middle-class person!
The Lady of Laxton had already fallen at once to the blandishments of her imperiously charming benefactress. Her instinct was to resist, but the Bottle Imp had seriously weakened her resolve. She knew it was wrong, insane, indecent, but an eye of concentrated power seemed to bore right through her soul. And, after all, such wine as that did give one a perfectly heavenly feeling.
Once more, and almost in spite of herself, Miss Cass brought her lips warily to the edge of the tumbler. It was folly, nay, it was piggishness, but at that moment she was hardly more than a helpless midge caught in the toils of an inexorable will. The wonderful blue eyes of the girl opposite had the quality of steel. “Please!... don’t let us waste it ... it is supposed to be rather good of its kind!”
History, alas, is hardly likely to be very gentle with the Lady Elfreda!
The bottle was finished at last. And Pikey, who, after all, had had the lion’s share of it, sat back on her cushions in a state of most agreeable somnolence. As for Miss Cass, her pencil began to fly across the paper.
“Mr. John Galsworthy in common with Mr. Arnold Bells and Mr. H. G. Wennett has a singular power of visualizing——”
Has the power of visualizing!
“What Mr. James Henry so beautifully calls the Human Scene.” The fair phrase came clear and pat, but before the page could receive it Miss Cass was again in the toils of the incarnate demon opposite.
“Suppose you take my part in the ‘Lady of Laxton’?” There was a suggestion for one simply athirst for life, for knowledge, for first-hand experience! Such amazing words could hardly be meant seriously; nevertheless there was a concentration in the manner of the marquis’ daughter that almost took away the breath of Miss Cass.
Emboldened by an unmistakable snore from the gently but firmly sleeping Pikey, said the wicked Elfreda, “I don’t think you would find it at all difficult and it might amuse you.”