“Not at all. You played very well. Now shall we go and get an ice? I wonder what’s become of Sefton? I don’t see him anywhere.”
“Oh, he is playing cricket at Melton. He is captain of the village club, I believe. I don’t think he cares for tennis.”
“I suppose not,” was the dry rejoinder; but the young man slightly elevated his eyebrows in a meaning manner. Bessie heard other remarks on Richard’s absence before the end of the afternoon. A young lady to whom she had been recently introduced addressed the same question to her.
“Mr. Sefton is not putting in an appearance this afternoon, Miss Lambert.”
“No, I believe not; he is otherwise engaged.”
“It is very odd,” replied Miss Green significantly; “but Mr. Sefton always is engaged when his sister gives one of her parties. I am told he hates society, and that sort of thing. Isn’t it a pity that he should be so different from Edna? She is a darling, and so charming, but her brother—” and here Miss Green shrugged her shoulders, and her keen black eyes seemed to demand Bessie’s opinion; but Bessie made no rejoinder. She was not much prepossessed with Miss Green, and left her as soon as politeness allowed her, to sit with an old lady who was very chatty and amusing, and who called her “my dear” at every word.
It was no use trying to speak to Edna; she was always surrounded by a group of young people. Once or twice the thought crossed Bessie’s mind, how Mr. Sinclair would like to see her laughing and talking so long with that handsome Captain Grant. She was not exactly flirting—Bessie would not do her that injustice—but she allowed him to pay her a great deal of attention. It struck her that Mrs.Sefton was uneasy, for she called her to her side once.
“My dear Miss Lambert, I cannot attract Edna’s attention, and I want to speak to her particularly; she is somewhere in the shrubberies with that tall man with the dark mustache—Captain Grant. I spoke to her as she passed just now, but neither of them heard me.”
“Shall I go and fetch her, Mrs. Sefton?”
“I shall be very glad if you will do so, my dear.” And Bessie at once started in pursuit. She overtook them by the summer-house. Edna looked rather bored as she received her mother’s message, though she at once obeyed it; but Captain Grant kept his place at her side.