“What do you mean by that conundrum?” asked Rowton with a careless laugh.
“Must I unriddle my riddle?” she replied. “Well, then, here’s the answer. The ball was young because it was spirited and absolutely unconventional; it was old because it seemed to partake of a certain last century flavour—the room, the situation, certain memories, all conspired to that; but most of all was the last century flavour accentuated by Dame Rowton’s presence.” Here Lady Georgina gave a mock but graceful bow in pretty Nancy’s direction. “Have I explained myself?” she said, turning her bright eyes full on Rowton’s somewhat flushed but handsome face.
“Perfectly,” he replied. “You have the gift, Lady Georgina, of making very neat compliments. Now I vote that we all go to bed and discuss the charms of our house-warming to-morrow.”
“By the way,” said Lady Georgina, as she prepared to leave the room, “I missed one person towards the end of the evening. Who was it ordered little Murray off to bed so early?”
“Murray to bed!” exclaimed Nancy. “Why, surely he never went to bed. He begged of me to let him stay up during the entire night, and, perhaps not very wisely, I gave him leave. The fact is, I did not think the child could sleep with so much noise going on.”
“Nevertheless, he must have gone to bed,” said Lady Georgina, “for I have not seen him for several hours. He was dancing with me, having a very good time, and making outrageous proposals, the monkey, that I should be his future wife. He was called out of the room by your maid, Hester Winsome, but promised to be back in a moment. He never came back, however.”
“Mrs. Ferguson may have sent Hester to speak to him,” said Nance after a pause; “she is quite a dragon about early hours for the boy. I wonder he did not appeal to me. Poor little dear, he must have been disappointed if he was banished off to bed when he expected so thoroughly to enjoy himself.”
“The boy was much better in bed,” said Rowton suddenly; “don’t fret yourselves about him now. Good-night, Lady Georgina.”
He held out his hand as he spoke. The lady took it, favoured him with a full admiring glance, kissed Nance on her cheek, and left the room.
“Now, Nancy, to bed, to bed. I cannot keep my eyes open a moment longer,” said her husband. He took her hand and they ran upstairs.