“But I—can,” answered Betty. “And when you come back you will find me on the retired list, too, still Miss Betty Beverley, of Holly Lodge.”
Of this Fortescue expressed the utmost disbelief.
Then Fortescue and Betty talked about the gaieties of the Christmas week. There was to be a dance every night, in addition to the Christmas hunt. Fortescue expressed the deepest regret that, being unknown in the county, neither he nor his guests at Rosehill would be likely to receive invitations, but on this point he was reassured by Colonel Beverley.
“I understand,” he said, “that you and your friends arrived only yesterday. My granddaughter told me yesterday morning that for the first time this winter smoke was coming out of the Rosehill chimneys. As soon as people find out that you are in the county, you will certainly receive invitations to everything that is desirable.”
Fortescue expressed a pious hope that this might come true. Then, feeling that he had stayed as long as he possibly could for a first visit, Fortescue rose and shook hands with the Colonel, who cordially invited him and his friends to Holly Lodge. When Betty laid her little hand in his, Fortescue said, as he gave it a delicate pressure:
“If Miss Sally Carteret is kind enough to invite my friends and myself to the Christmas hunt, may I hope that you will chaperon us?”
“Yes,” replied Betty; “provided you are not too lazy. On hunting mornings, I am in the saddle by six o’clock. I haven’t a very imposing mount. Old Whitey pulls the rockaway, and isn’t above hauling wood and going to the mill, but he has a strain of Diomede blood in him, and there’s life in the old horse yet.”
This gave Fortescue an inspiration, but, being a natural diplomat, he kept it to himself.
Uncle Cesar was waiting in the narrow little passage with Fortescue’s military cloak, and brought up his horse, which had been standing with the reins thrown over a limb of one of the great holly trees. As Fortescue rode past the window, sitting straight and square on his high-bred chestnut, Betty glued her nose to the window-pane, and, much to her embarrassment, was seen by Fortescue, who raised his cap, and bowed to his saddle-bow.
