"I should not take the trouble," he said, with careless hauteur. "Ah!"—Letty's vanity winced under his involuntary accent of relief—"I see your husband and Lady Maxwell."
Marcella and George came towards them. They were strolling along a broad flowery border, which was at the moment a blaze of paeonies of all shades, interspersed with tall pyramidal growths of honeysuckle. Marcella was loitering here and there, burying her face in the fragrance of the honeysuckle, or drawing her companion's attention in delight to the glowing clumps of paeonies Hallin hovered round them, now putting his hand confidingly into Tressady's, now tugging at his mother's dress, and now gravely wooing the friendship of a fine St. Bernard that made one of the party. George, with his hands in his pockets, walked or paused as the others chose; and it struck Letty at once that he was talking with unusual freedom and zest.
Yes, it was true, indeed, as Harding said—they had made friends. As she looked at them the first movement of a jealous temper stirred in Letty. She was angry with Lady Maxwell's beauty, and angry with George's enjoyment. It was like the great lady all over to slight the wife and annex the husband. George certainly might have taken the trouble to come and look for her on their return from church!
So, while Ancoats talked stiffly with Marcella, the bride, a few paces off, let George understand through her bantering manner that she was out of humour.
"But, dear, I had no notion you would be let out so soon," pleaded
George. "That good man really can't earn his pay."
"Oh! but of course you knew it was High Church—all split up into little bits," said Letty, unappeased. "But naturally—"
She was about to add some jealous sarcasm when it was arrested by the arrival of Sir Philip Wentworth and Watton, whose figures appeared in a side-archway close to her.
"Ah! well guessed," said Sir Philip. "I thought we should find you among the paeonies. Lady Tressady, did you ever see such a show? Ancoats, is your head gardener visible on a Sunday? I ask with trembling, for there is no more magnificent member of creation. But if I could get at him, to ask him about an orchid I saw in one of your houses yesterday, I should be grateful."
"Come into the next garden, then," said Ancoats, "where the orchid-houses are. If he isn't there, we'll send for him."
"Then, Lady Tressady, you must come and see me through," said Sir Philip,
gallantly. "I want to quarrel with him about a label—and you remember
Dizzy's saying—'a head gardener is always opinionated'? Are you coming,
Lady Maxwell?"