And, while he had, in a youthful way, loved several women, this was the first one he had hated.
He was, however, too young to see the signification of this fact, and as soon as she had ceased playing, escaped to the smoking room with a major of hussars, who declared that fiddling was the one thing he couldn’t stand.
“Lovely creature, Lady Harden,” the unmusical major began, as he lit his cigar.
“Too thin,” returned Teddy, the crafty.
The major stared. “Are you drunk?” he asked, severely. “Her figger’s the best in England! And amusin’. Tells the best stories of any woman I know. Only thing I don’t like about her is that infernal fiddlin’.”
But the fiddling continued, and Teddy, who loved it, felt his hatred melt. After a bit he went back to the drawing room, only to see the violin being returned to its case. Lady Harden smiled absently at him, and soon afterward was settled at a bridge table, opposite Colonel Durrant.
The next morning Lady Harden went for a ride with a man who had just arrived—a fellow named Broughton. Cleeve watched them go. Then, finding Bess Fraser at his elbow, he asked her to play “fives” with him.
Bess had become non-interesting since Lady Harden’s revelation. Poor old Bess—he wondered whether she really—— And to think of Cornwall’s wanting to marry her! She really was a splendid creature. Much better looking than Lady Harden. Lady Harden was too pale by daylight.
“I say, Bess, what is Lady Harden’s first name?”