"Is too superior a fellow to be influenced by such attractions, eh?" put in De Burgh.
"I am not so sure;" and she laughed merrily. "I think there is one fair lady for whom he is inclined to forego his philosophic tranquility."
"Ha! I thought so. Yourself?"
"Me! No, indeed! A young lady of high attainments and a large fortune."
"Indeed? I am glad of it. He must be awfully hard up, poor devil!"
"Mr. Errington can never be poor," cried Katherine, offended by the disparaging epithet. "He carries his fortune in his brain."
"Well, I am exceedingly thankful I carry mine in my pocket," returned De Burgh, laughing. "Evidently Errington can do no wrong in your eyes. Let us wish him success in his wooing. So I am not to be your escort to Sandbourne? You ought to let me be your courier, I have knocked about so much. I thought I'd take to the road in the modern sense, when I came to my last sou, if the poor old lord had not died. Now I am going to be a pattern man as landlord, peer, and sportsman. Can't give up that, you know."
"I do not see why you should."
"I see you are looking at the clock; that means I am staying too long. You don't know how delightful it is to sit here talking to you, without any third person to bore us."
"I don't mean to be rude, Lord de Burgh, but you see I have letters to write for my chief."