It was absolutely impossible for his cousin to be whirled off on the instant to Varenac.
He must arrange his affairs. An appointment of the utmost importance, nay, the command of the Prince of Wales himself, took him the next day to Brighton.
Three days, and then he would be at the disposal of Brittany, the Royalists, and, finally, of Jéhan de Quernais. But for those three days he asked his good cousin to accept the hospitality of Langton Hall. He himself would not be there, though he regretted it a thousand times. However, he would find many interests and amusements, as well as the society of his little sister Gabrielle.
Monsieur Jéhan, even though he disliked delay, was ready to admit that he should find Langton Hall charming.
He had seen la belle Cousine Gabrielle.
It was that last speech which had so ruffled poor Michael's humour.
Morry had no right to make it possible that even the breath of a sullying whisper should spread about young Mistress Conyers entertaining a handsome foreigner alone.
Morry—whose ideas of propriety were as elastic as London morals—would have laughed at such a suggestion.
So, perforce, Michael, having no right to interfere, had to swallow his vexation.
He was glad to see in Monsieur Jéhan a discreet and pleasant gentleman.