The military cortege began to move about among the civilians before riding back to Ninove. Various persons were presented to the Marshal Prince; and Colonel Audley was able to seize the opportunity of exchanging a few words with Lady Barbara.
'How do you contrive to look so cool?' he asked ruefully.
'I can't think. I'm bored to tears, Charles!'
'I know. Devilish tedious, isn't it?'
'I only came to see George, and I couldn't even pick him out in that dreadful scarlet mass!' she said pettishly.
'He looked very handsome, I assure you.'
She yawned. 'I'll swear he was cursing the heat! I wish you will drive home with me. We will dine outside the town in one of those charmingly vulgar places in the suburbs, and drink our wine at a table by the roadside. just as the burghers do. It will be so amusing!'
'Oh, don't!' he begged. 'It sounds delightful, and I can't do it!'
'Why can't you?' she demanded, lifting her eyebrows. 'Is it beneath the dignity of a staff officer?'
'You know very well it's not beneath my dignity. But I'm dining at Ninove.'
'That stupid cavalry party of Uxbridge's! Oh, nonsense! it can't signify. No one will give a fig for your absence: you won't even be missed, I daresay.'
He laughed, but shook his head. 'My darling, I daren't!'
She hunched a shoulder. 'I am tired of your duty, Charles. It is so tedious!'
'It is indeed.'
'I see nothing of you. George and Harry can get leave when they want it; why should not you?'
'George and Harry are not on the staff,' he replied. 'I'd get leave if I could, but it's impossible.'
'Well!' She closed her parasol with a snap, and laid it on the seat beside her. 'If it is impossible for you I must find someone else to go with me. Ah, the very man! Sir Peregrine, come here!'
A little startled, the Colonel turned to see Peregrine hurriedly obeying the summons. A bewitching smile was bestowed upon him. 'Sir Peregrine, I want to dine in the suburbs, and Charles won't take me! Will you go with me?'
'Oh, by Jove, Lady Bab, I should think I will go anywhere!' replied Peregrine.
'Good. No dressing up, mind! I intend to go just as I am. You may call for me in the Rue Ducale: is it agreed?'
'Lord, yes, a thousand times! It will be capital fun!' A doubt struck him; he looked at the Colonel, and added: 'That is if you don't mind, Audley, do you?'
'My dear Perry, why should I mind? Go by all .means: I wish I might join you.'
'Oh, devilish good of you! At about six, then, Lady Bab: I'll be there!'
He raised his hat to her and walked away; the Colonel said: 'What's your game, Bab?'
'I don't understand you. I had thought the fact of Sir Peregrine's being a connection of yours must have made him unexceptionable. Besides, I like him: have you any objection?'
' I'm not jealous of him, if that is what you mean, but I've a strong notion that it would be better for him not be liked by you.'
'Ah, perhaps you are right!' she said. Her voice was saintly, but two demons danced in her eyes. 'Lavisse comes to Brussels this evening: I will engage him instead.'
'You're a devil in attack, Bab,' he said appreciatively. 'That's a pistol held to my head, and, being a prudent man, I capitulate.'
'Oh, Charles! Craven! And you a soldier!'
'True: but a good soldier knows when to retreat!'
'Shall you come about again?'
'Yes, but I shall be more careful of my ground. Today I rashly left my flank exposed.'
She smiled. 'And I rolled it up! Well, I will be good! Sir Peregrine shall take me, because it would be stupid to cry off now, but I will be very sisterly, I promise you.'
He held up his hand to her. 'Defeat without dishonour! Thank you!'
She leaned down from her high perch, putting her hand in his. His face was upturned; she said, with her gurgle of laughter: 'Don't smile at me, Charles! If you do I must kiss you just there!' She drew her hand away, and laid a finger between his brows.
'Do!'
'No, this place is confoundedly public: I should put you to shame. By the by, Charles, that chit whose name I never can remember - the heiress whom your sister-in-law meant you to marry - you know whom I mean?'
'I do, but it's nonsense that Judith intended her for me.'
'Oh no, I'm sure it's not! But it doesn't signify, only that I thought you would like to know that I rather fancy George to be a little epris in that direction.'
'I hope he will not give her a heartache!'
'I expect he will, however. The odd thing is that she is not at all the sort of young woman he had been in the habit of deceiving.' She added thoughtfully: 'One comfort is that he is more likely to make a fool of her than she of him.'
'Really, Bab!' he protested.
'Now, don't be shocked! It would never do for George to marry her. He won't, of course. He depends too much upon my grandfather, and wouldn't dare. She may be perfectly ladylike, but her connection with that horrid little Cit of an uncle makes her quite Ineligible. My grandfather was himself held to have married beneath him, but that does not make him Indulgent towards any mesalliance we might wish to make! He is pleased, by the way, with my engagement. I have had letters from him and my grandmother by today's post. You never told me you had written to him, Charles!'
'Of course I wrote to him. Have we his blessing?'
'Decidedly! You are unexceptionable. He did not suppose me to have so much good sense. My grandmother, who is quite the most delightful creature imaginable, writes that she is in doubt of her felicitations being still acceptable by the time they reach me. You observe, Charles, you have broken all records!' She gathered up the reins, and signed to her tiger to jump up behind. 'There seems to be nothing to stay for: I shall go. Who is invited to this dinner at Uxbridge's?'
'All commanding cavalry officers, and of course the foreign visitors.'
'Ah, a horrid male party! You will enjoy it excessively, I daresay, get abominably foxed, and come reeling back to Brussels with the dawn.'
'Well! You have drawn no rose-coloured picture of-my character, at all events! There can be no disillusionment for you to fear!'
'No, none for me,' she said.
He saw that she was ready to give her horses the office to start, but detained her. 'Do you mean to drive alone? Is not Harry with you?'
'Certainly I mean to drive alone. Harry is not here.'
'Don't tell me there are no young gentlemen eager for the chance to escort you?'
'I have sometimes a strong liking for my owrr company,' she replied. 'But as for being alone, pray observe Matthew, my tiger.'
'Let someone ride back with you, Bab.'
'Are you afraid I may be molested by the brutal soldiery? I don't fear it!'
'You might well meet with unpleasantness. Is not Vidal here?'
'Yes, driving with Gussie. You will not expect me to curb my horses to keep pace with a sober barouche. I shall spring 'em, you know.'
He stepped back. She said saucily: 'Retiring again. Charles? You're the wisest man of my acquaintance. Goodbye! Don't be anxious: I am a famous whip.'
She began to make her way out of the ranks of carriages; the Colonel mounted his horse again, and rode off to his brother's curricle. He saluted Judith, but without attending to what she had to say of the review, addressed Worth. 'Julian, be a good fellow, will you, and follow Bab? She's alone, and I don't care for her to be driving all the distance without an escort. You need not so proclaim yourself, by the way, but I should be glad if you would keep
