There was a break in the sentence, a look in the captain’s eyes that said in plainest language, ‘If I had known what a lovely woman I was to see, &c., &c.’ And Bella, having lately graduated in the novels of Charles de Bernard, thoroughly understood the look and tone.
Mr. Piper also was gratified by Captain Standish’s visit. His friend Timperley had bragged of his familiarity with the captain; his friend Porkman had boasted of the captain’s morning call. Mr. Piper did not wish to be behind those compeers of his. He had felt himself at a disadvantage when they were lauding the all-accomplished Standish.
‘Well, Beller, my love,’ he said, when the guests had all departed, and he sat down to a tête-à-tête dinner with his wife, who was quite exhausted by the cares and triumphs of the afternoon. ‘I’m glad we’ve had Captain Standish at one of our Thursdays, since people round Great Yafford think such a lot about him; but I don’t see that he’s anything so wonderful. He’s very much like all the other military men I’ve seen—extra well got-up linen—a neat-cut boot—and hair cropped as close as a convick’s. That’s the general pattern, I take it.’
‘Oh, Mr Piper!’ cried Bella, horrified at this blasphemy. ‘Can’t you see Captain Standish’s superiority? There is a style—an air—a je ne sais quoi.’
‘I don’t know about the junnysaker, but I’ll allow that his clothes are a good cut,’ said the unimpressionable Piper. ‘But why the dickens do the Porkmans and Timperleys think so much of him? I shouldn’t have thought he was old Timperley’s sort.’
‘My dear Mr. Piper, Captain Standish is the fashion.’
‘Oh, that’s it, is it?’ said Mr. Piper, meekly. ‘Well, I like to be in the fashion as well as my neighbours. Suppose we ask Captain Thingamy to dinner? He’s not the sort of chap that would want to borrow money of one, is he, by-the-bye? It’s a way they’ve got in the army.’
‘Captain Standish borrow money!’ cried Bella. ‘Why his mother is Lady Emmeline Standish——.’
‘That wouldn’t fill his pockets,’ interjected Mr. Piper.
‘And his father is a partner in a great bank. I forget which, but some enormously rich bank. The Porkmans know all about it.’