"More tea, Mr. Marchdale?" demanded Lady Belinda. Mr. Marchdale's feeble refusals were overruled and he was treated beside to a long exordium on the beneficent qualities of the herb, the while he gulped down the beverage to the Viscount's no small satisfaction. As for the Major, he was looking at Betty and she at him, and the Viscount's quick glance happening to rove their way and noting the look in the Major's eyes and the answering flush on her smooth cheek the Viscount's own eyes opened very wide, he pursed his lips in a soundless whistle and thereafter studiously glanced another way.
"Major d'Arcy sir," said Mr. Marchdale, gulping his tea and blinking, "I am come with an embassage to you, Tripp and the rest of us present their service and beg you'll join us at cards this evening—nothing big, a guinea or so——"
"Aye, go, nunky," nodded the Viscount, "I'm going over to try some new songs with Betty." Here Mr. Marchdale sighed heavily.
All too soon for the Major the ladies arose to take their departure.
"We are hoping, dear Major," said Lady Belinda, "that you will come in to supper one evening soon, you and Pancras——"
"With Colonel Cleeve, if he chance to be here still," added Betty.
The gentlemen bowed, the ladies curtseyed, and descended the terrace steps all stately dignity and gracious ease.
Left alone the Major stood awhile to enjoy the beauty of the sunset-sky and to sigh over the past hour; then slowly went into the house.
In the study he found Sergeant Zebedee who stood tentatively beside the desk.
"I was thinking, sir," said he, "that seeing the company is gone we might contrive to get through your chapter on Salient Angles at last!"