'Miss Boningsbill, whom I took out last season, I did present,' Lady
Bandobust continued; 'but she went in for everything--perhaps more
extensively than you would be disposed to do. It might facilitate
matters--give you an idea, perhaps--if I were to tell you my
arrangements with Miss Boningsbill.'
'I should like to hear them,' I said.
'She did not live with me--of course, chaperonage does not imply
residence, you understand that. When she went out with me she called for
me in her brougham. She had a brougham by the month, and a landau for
the park. I should distinctly advise you to do the same. I would, in
fact, make the arrangement for you. I know a very reliable man.' Lady
Bandobust paused for my thanks.
'Generally speaking, Miss Boningsbill and I went out together; but when
I found this particularly inconvenient, she took one carriage and I the
other, though she always had her choice. I stipulated only to take her
to the park twice a week, but if nothing interfered I went oftener.
Occasionally I took her to the play--that bores me, though. I hope you
are not particularly fond of the theatre. And then she usually found it
less expensive to get a box, as there were generally a few other people
who could be asked with advantage--friends of my own.' 'She had a box at
Ascot, too, of course,' Lady Bandobust went on, looking down her nose
at a fly in the corner of the window-pane; 'but that is a matter of
detail.'
'Of course,' I said, because I could think of nothing else to say.
'I gave her a ball,' Lady Bandobust continued; 'that is to say, cards
were sent out in my name. That was rather bungled, though--so many
friends of mine begged for invitations for friends of theirs that I
didn't know half the people. And Miss Boningsbill, of course, knew
nobody. Miss Boningsbill was dissatisfied about the cost, too. I was
foolish enough to forget to tell her beforehand. Everything came from my
own particular tradespeople, and, naturally, nothing was cheap. I never
niggle,' said Lady Bandobust, turning her two little indifferent black
eyes full upon me.
'Miss Boningsbill insisted on having her name on the cards as well,'
she said: '"Lady Bandobust and Miss Boningsbill," you understand. That I
should not advise--very bad form, I call it.'
'She was married in October,' Lady Bandobust continued, casually. The
second son of Sir Banbury Slatte--the eldest had gone abroad for his
health. I knew the Banbury Slattes extremely well--excellent family.'
'Miss Boningsbill,' Lady Bandobust went on, absently, 'had nothing like
your figure.'
'Was she an American?' I asked.
'No--Manchester,' answered Lady Bandobust, laconically.
'Cotton-spinners.'
'My dressmaker tells me she finds a marked difference between English
and American figures.' I remarked; 'but I am afraid it is not to our
advantage. We are not nearly so fine as you are.'
'Ah!' said Lady Bandobust. 'Who is your dressmaker?' she asked with
interest.
'I spoke of the firm whose place of business, though not mentioned in
any guide-book, I had found to repay many visits.
'Oh, those people!' said Lady Bandobust. 'Dear, I call them. Smart
enough for evening frocks, but certainly not to be depended upon for
anything else. I should strongly advise you to try Miss Pafty, in Regent
Street, and say I sent you. And for millinery, do let me recommend
Madame Marie. I would give you a note to her. An excessively clever
woman--personal friend of my own. A husband and two sons to support, so
she makes bonnets. I believe the Princess goes to her regularly. And you
pay very little more than you do anywhere else. And now, with regard to
our little scheme, what do you think, Miss Wick?'
'Really, Lady Bandobust,' said I, 'I am afraid I must think about it.' A
decided negative was an utter impossibility at the time.
'Ah!' said Lady Bandobust, I perhaps you think my terms a little
high--just a trifle more than you expected, perhaps. Well, suppose we
say two hundred and fifty?'
'I had no expectations whatever about it, Lady Bandobust,' I said; 'I
knew nothing of it up to about an hour ago.'
'Two hundred,' said Lady Bandobust.
'I am afraid I have no idea of the value of--of such things, Lady
Bandobust,' I faltered.
'I can bring it as low as one hundred and fifty,' she returned, 'but it
would not be quite the same, Miss Wick--you could not expect that.'
The rest of the conversation, which I find rather painful to call
to memory, may perhaps be imagined from the fact that Lady Bandobust
finally brought her offer down to seventy-five pounds, at which point I
escaped, taking her address, promising to write her my decision in the
course of a day or two, and feeling more uncomfortably contemptible than
ever before in my life. We happened to be making visits in Park Lane
next day, and as Lady Bandobust lived near there, I took the note
myself, thinking it would be more polite. And I found the locality,
in spite of its vicinity to Park Lane, quite extraordinary for Lady
Bandobust to have apartments in.
I met Lady Bandobust once again. It was at an 'at home' given by Lord
and Lady Mafferton, where everybody was asked 'to meet' a certain
distinguished traveller. Oddly enough, I was introduced to her, and we
had quite a long chat. But I noticed that she had not caught my name as
my hostess pronounced it--she called me 'Miss Winter' during the whole
of our conversation, and seemed to have forgotten that we had ever seen
each other before; which was disagreeable of her, in my opinion.