Mrs Girdwood signified her consent; and Julia hastened to dress for the drive.
There was frost in the air; and she came back from her room enveloped in costly furs.
It was a cloak of sea-otter, coquettishly trimmed, and becoming to her dark complexion. She looked superb in it.
Swinton thought so, as with hopeful heart, but trembling hand, he assisted her into the cabriolet!
The drive was round the Park, into Kensington Gardens, and then back to the Clarendon.
But not till after Mr Swinton had passed along Park Lane, and stopped at the door of a great nobleman’s residence.
“It is very wude of me, Miss Girdwood,” said he, “but I have a call to make on his lawdship by appointment; and I hope yaw will kindly excuse me?”
“By all means,” said Julia, delighted with her accomplished cavalier, who had shown himself such a skilful driver.
“One moment—I shall not allow his lordship to detain me more than a moment.”
And Swinton sprang out; surrendering the reins to his groom, already at the horse’s head.