'Why, indeed!' thought Mrs. Wodrow, exasperated about her son Robert.
Sir Redmond paused.
'Why?' asked the young lady again, categorically.
'Pour passer le temps,' replied Sir Redmond, with one of his insolent smiles, as he twirled out the ends of his tawny moustachios.
Mrs. Wodrow did not hear his answer, though she saw the expression of his face; and at this reply Miss Galloway smiled triumphantly and disdainfully while slowly fanning herself.
CHAPTER XII.
AFTER THOUGHTS.
There are generally two distinct sets of people at every country entertainment carrying out the principle of 'pig-iron that looks down on tenpenny nails;' but Lady Dunkeld's garden-party was voted a charming gathering. She had a special skill for assorting her guests, and did so accordingly, though some of our dramatis personæ assorted themselves; and the result was so far harmony, apparently—we say apparently, for it was not universal.
Thus Blanche Galloway was displeased with the manner in which Leslie Colville hovered about Mary Wellwood, while Colville, and more especially Robert Wodrow, were both displeased by the conspicuous absence of Sir Redmond and Ellinor. Robert knew not where they had been, and somehow never thought of looking in the conservatories, and probably would not have done so had the idea occurred to him.
He had not been near her all day, and he was now, more than ever, beginning to realise bitterly that the girl he had loved so well all these years past, and who, he certainly thought, loved him, was going out of his life as completely as if she had never existed. Yet he could not relinquish her without another effort—another last appeal; though he quitted the gaieties of Craigmhor early with a sore and swollen heart.