"To marry you," he said.
"Ah, now you are talking nonsense! Has no one warned you what bad blood there is in my family?"
"Yes, your brother Harry. I am much obliged to him, and to you, and must warn you, in my turn, that I had an uncle once who was so much addicted to the bottle that he died of it. Furthermore, my grandfather -"
She put up her hands. "Stop, stop! Abominable to laugh when I am in earnest! If I married you we should certainly fight."
"Not a doubt of it," he agreed.
"You would wish to make me sober and wellbehaved, and I -"
"Never! To shake you, perhaps, but I am persuaded your sense of justice would pardon that."
"My sense of justice might, but not my temper. I should flirt with other men: you would not like that."
"No, nor permit it."
"My poor Charles! How would you stop me?"
"By flirting with you myself," he replied.
"It would lack spice in a husband. I don't care for marriage. It is curst flat. You do not know that; but I have reason to. Did Gussie tell you I was going to marry Lavisse?"
"Most pointedly. But I think you are not."
"You may be right," she said coolly. "It is more than I can bargain for, though. He is extremely wealthy. I should enjoy the comfort of a large fortune. My debts would ruin you in a year. Have you thought of that?"
"No, but I will, if you like, and devise some means of meeting the difficulty when it arises. Should you object very much to living in a debtors' prison?"
"It might be amusing," she admitted. "But it would come tiresome in time. Things do, you know." She began to play with her riding whip, twisting the lash around her fingers. Watching her, he saw that her eyes had grown dark again, and that she had gripped her lips rather in a mulish fashion. He was content to look at her and presently she glanced up, and said brusquely:
" I'll be plain with you, Charles, you are a fool! Am I your first love?"
"My dear! No!"
"The more shame to you. Don't you know - ? Good God, can you not see that we should never deal together? We are not suited!"
"No, we are not suited, but I think we might deal together," he answered.
"I have been spoilt from my cradle!" she flung at him. "You know nothing of me! You have fallen in love with my face. In fact, you are ridiculous!"
He said rather ruefully: "Do you think I don't know it? I can discover no reason why you should look with anything but amusement upon my suit. I am a younger son, with no prospects beyond the Army -"
"Gussie said that," she interrupted, her lip lifting a little.
"She was right."
She put her whip down; something glowed in her eyes. "Have you nothing to recommend you to me, then?"
"Nothing at all," he replied, with a faint smile.
She leaned towards him; sudden tears sparkled on her lashes; her hands went out to him impulsively. "Nothing at all! Charles, dear fool! Oh, the devil! I'm crying!"
She was in his arms, and raised her face for his kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders; her mouth was eager, and clung to his for a moment. Then she put her head back, and felt him kiss her wet eyelids.
"Oh, rash," she murmured. "I darken 'em Charles - my eyelashes! Does it come off?"
He said a little unsteadily: "I don't think so. What odds?"
She disengaged herself. "My dear, you are certainly mad! Confound it, I never cry! How dared you look at me just so? Charles, if I have black streaks on my face, I swear I'll never forgive you!"
"But you have not, on my honour!" he assured her. He found his handkerchief, and put his hand under her chin. "Keep stilclass="underline" I will engage to dry them without the least damage being done." He performed this office for her, and held her chin for an instant longer, looking down into her face.
She let him kiss her again, but when he raised his head, flung off his arms, and sprang up. "Of all the absurd situations I ever was in! To be made love to before breakfast! Abominable!"
He too rose, and caught and grasped her hands, holding them in a grip that made her grimace. "Will you marry me?"
"I don't know, I don't know!" Go to Ghent: I won't 'ne swept off my feet!" She gave a gurgle of laughter, and burlesqued herself: "You must give me time to consider, Colonel Audley! Lord, did you ever hear anything so Bath-missish? Let me go: you don't possess :ne, you know."
"Give me an answer!" he said.
"No, and no! Do you think I must marry where I kiss? They don't mean anything, my kisses."
His grip tightened on her hands. "Be quiet! You shall not talk so!"
Her mouth mocked him bitterly. "You've drawn such a pretty picture of me for yourself, and the truth is I'm a rake."
He turned from her in silence to lead up her horse. With the knowledge that she had hurt him an unaccustomed pain seized her. "Now you see how odious I can be!" she said in a shaking voice.
He glanced over his shoulder, and said gently: "My poor dear!"
She gave a twisted smile, but said nothing until he had brought her horse to her. He put her into the saddle, and she bent towards him, and touched his cheek with her gloved hand. "Go to Ghent. Dear Charles!"
For a moment her eyes were soft with tenderness. He caught her hand and kissed it. "I must go, of course. I shall be back in a day or two and I shall want my answer."
She gathered up the bridle. "I shall give it you - perhaps!" she said, and rode off, leaving him still standing under the elm trees.
He made no attempt to overtake her, but rode back to the town at a sober pace, arriving at his brother's house rather late for breakfast. His sister-in-law, regarding him with a little curiosity, asked him where he had been, and upon his answering briefly, in the Allee Verte, rallied him on such a display on matutinal energy.
"Confess, Charles! You had an assignation with an unknown charmer!"
He smiled, but shook his head. "Not precisely - no!"
"Don't tell me you rode out for your health's sake! You have not been alone!"
"No," he replied, "I had the good fortune to meet Lady Barbara."
She concealed the dismay she felt, but was for the moment too much nonplussed to say anything. The Earl filled what might have been felt to have been an awkward pause by enquiring in his languid way: "Is an early morning ride one of her practices? She is an unexpected creature!"
"She is a splendid horsewoman," said the Colonel evasively.
"Certainly. I have very often seen her at the stag hunting during the winter."
"ferry calls her a bruising rider!" remarked Judith, with a slight laugh. She poured herself out some coffee, and added in a casual tone: "Is it true she is about to become engaged to the Comte de Lavisse?"
The Colonel raised his brows. "What, does gossip say , eh?"
"Oh yes! That is, his attentions have been so very particular that it is regarded as quite certain. I suppose it would be a good match. He is very wealthy."
"Very, I believe."
This response was too unencouraging to allow of Judith's pursing the subject any further. The Colonel departed to talk of something else, and as soon as he had finished his breakfast, went away to order his servant to pack his valise. He was soon gone from the house, and although Judith was sorry he was obliged to accompany the Duke of Ghent, she was able to console herself with the reflection that at least he would be out of Barbara Childe's reach.
She might be a little uneasy about his evident admiration for Barbara, but as she had no suspicion of how far matters between them had already gone, she felt no very acute anxiety, and was able to welcome the Colonel home on the following evening without misgiving.
The Earl having an engagement to dine with some officers at the Hotel d'Angleterre, Judith had invited Miss Devenish to keep her company, and was seated with her in the salon when Colonel Audley walked in.