‘Pray, inform me which is Colonel Boddington,’ Harry exclaimed eagerly at this particular moment, as an old gentleman of military aspect strolled up casually to speak to Nora. ‘Point me out mine host, for mercy’s sake, or else he’ll be bringing a summary action for ejectment against us both as rogues and vagabonds.’
‘This is he,’ Nora said, as the military gentleman approached nearer. ‘Don’t you know him? Perhaps I’d better introduce you. Colonel Boddington—Mr Noel, Mr Hawthorn.’
‘And I’d better make a clean breast of it at once,’ Harry Noel continued, smiling gracefully with his pleasant easy smile—Edward would have sunk bodily into the earth alive, rather than make the ridiculous confession. ‘The fact is, we’re intruders into your domain, sir—unauthorised intruders. We took our seats on the top of your wall to watch the race; and when we got there, we found a number of roughs were obstructing the view for the ladies of your party; and we assisted the gentlemen of your set in clearing the ground; and then, as I saw my friend Miss Dupuy was here, I made bold to jump over and come to speak to her, feeling sure that a previous acquaintance with her would be a sufficient introduction into your pleasant society here.—What a delightful place, sir, you’ve got on the river here.’
Colonel Boddington bowed stiffly. ‘Any friend of Miss Dupuy’s is quite welcome here,’ he said with some chilly severity.—‘Did I understand Miss Dupuy to say your name was Rowell?’
‘Noel,’ Harry corrected, smiling benignly. ‘You may possibly know my father, Sir Walter Noel, of Noel Hall, near Boston, Lincolnshire.’
Colonel Boddington unbent visibly. ‘I’m very glad of this opportunity, I’m sure, Mr Noel,’ he said with his most gracious manner. ‘As I remarked before, Miss Dupuy’s friends will always be welcome with us. Since you’ve dropped in so unexpectedly, perhaps you and Mr—I didn’t catch the name—will stay to lunch with us. Our friends mean to join us at lunch after the race is over.’
‘Delighted, I’m sure,’ Harry answered, quite truthfully. Nothing could have pleased him better than this opportunity. ‘Here they come—here they come! Round the corner! Cambridge heads the race. Cambridge, Cambridge!’ And for five minutes there was a fluttering of handkerchiefs and straining of eyes and confused sound of shouts and laughter, which left no time for Harry or any one else to indulge in rational conversation.
After the boats had passed out of sight, and the company had returned to the paths of sanity once more, Miss Dupuy turned round to Edward and asked curiously: ‘Do you happen to know any people of the name of Ord, Mr Hawthorn?’
Edward smiled as he answered: ‘General Ord’s family? O yes, I know them very well indeed—quite intimately, in fact.’
‘Ah, then,’ she said gaily—‘then you are the Mr Hawthorn who is engaged to dear Marian. I felt sure you must be, the moment I heard your name. Oh, I do so hope, then, you’ll get this vacant Trinidad appointment.’