|While Tom and his fair friends were pursuing their course, Chetwynd and
the two young ladies were quitting the gay scene.
As they made their way through the throng, they encountered Lord
Courland and Scrope Danvers, who had been watching them from afar, and
had both come to the conclusion that the two prettiest girls to be seen
in the Park on that morning were Miss Barfleur and Miss Calverley.
Lord Courland did not know which he admired most; at one moment he
thought Emmeline the prettiest, but the next he gave the preference to
Mildred.
“Your cousin, Miss Barfleur, is certainly a most charming girl, Scrope!”
he said; “but----”
“You prefer Miss Calverley,” supplied the other. “No; I don't say that,”
rejoined Lord Courland. “But Miss Calverley has lovely features, and an
enthralling expression--at least, I find it so.”
“I see you are half in love with her already, my lord,” said Scrope,
rather disappointed. “I quite admit that Miss Calverley is very
beautiful; but don't forget that my cousin Emmeline is a great heiress.”
“I am only indulging in a little sentiment, my dear boy,” said Lord
Courland. “Either of those girls must be admired for herself alone. Your
fair cousin needs no large fortune to enhance her attractions--neither
does Miss Calverley. Looking at them as equally well endowed in this
respect, I should be puzzled to choose, even if choice were allowed me.
But when to almost matchless beauty Miss Barfleur adds the possession of
great wealth, there can be no hesitation.”
“There I entirely concur with your lordship's opinion,” said Scrope;
“and had not my uncle, Sir Leycester, been a very crotchety fellow, she
would have been married long ago. Even your lordship would have found
some difficulty with him.”
“I dare say,” he replied. “But who is that with them?”
“Miss Calverley's brother Chetwynd.”
“I thought so. He is uncommonly handsome.”
“He has been very wild and extravagant; but, I believe, has taken to
better ways. I don't know him myself; but my brother Charles, who has
seen a good deal of him, gives a very favourable account of him, and
says he is an excellent fellow. By-the-by, Charles has been very much in
love with Miss Calverley; but, I believe, all that is at an end.”
“And Chetwynd Calverley is not a suitor to Miss Barfleur?” asked Lord
Courland.
“That would never be heard of for a moment,” rejoined Scrope. “He
has run through all his property; and, as far as I can understand, is
entirely dependent upon his step-mother.”
“He may desire to repair his fallen fortunes.”
“He won't repair them by a marriage with Miss Barfleur,” said Scrope, in
a decided tone. “But see! they are evidently going away. Shall we join
them?”
“By all means,” replied Lord Courland.
So they went up to them, as previously mentioned; and the two gentlemen
having been introduced to Chetwynd, with whom they were much pleased,
the whole party walked on to Albert Gate, where Lord Courland and Scrope
took leave, the others proceeding to Belgrave Square.
Lady Thicknesse had always been noted for her dinners, and she still
maintained her reputation. She had a good French cook, and an excellent
butler, as we know. Her chef, Monsieur Zephyrus, had been a pupil of the
renowned Olivier Givors, of Orleans, and did credit to his master.
On this occasion, Zephyrus sent up a charming little repast, that
pleased all who partook of it.
A small round table sufficed for the party, which only numbered seven.
Among the guests was Sir Bridgnorth, who was asked at a very late hour;
but he stood upon no ceremony, and was delighted to meet the two girls.
Again, it was quite impossible to say whether Lord Courland intended to
devote himself to Emmeline or Mildred.
As a matter of course, he took down Lady Thick-nesse to dinner, and sat
between her ladyship and Emmeline; but he managed to talk a great deal
to Mildred, who was placed opposite him; and had the girls been rivals,
neither of them could have boasted of a triumph.
Next to Mildred was Sir Bridgnorth, and Emmeline was separated from
Chetwynd by Scrope Danvers, who sat on her left, and prevented all
conversation between them.
Chetwynd's deportment was very quiet during dinner, and he said little;
but in the evening he talked a great deal to Lady Thicknesse, and
pleased her so much that she gave him a general invitation to the
house--a point he was very desirous to gain.