Part 35 (1/2)
”Dear me, who are those, I wonder?” exclaimed Mrs. Marland. ”She's very distinguee.”
”It's Miss Glyn,” answered he.
”What--Miss Agatha, Glyn?”
”Yes,” he replied, wondering whether that little coincidence as to the 'Agatha' would suggest itself to anyone else.
”Lord Thrapston's granddaughter?”
”Yes.”
”Horrid old man, isn't he?”
”I know him very slightly.”
”And the man--who's he?”
”Mr. Calder Wentworth.”
”To be sure. Why, they're engaged, aren't they? I saw it in the paper.”
”I'm sure I don't know,” said Mr. Taylor, in a voice more troubled than the matter seemed to require. ”I saw it in the paper too.”
”He's no beauty, at any rate; but he's a great match, I suppose?”
”Oh, perhaps it isn't true.”
”You speak as if you wished it wasn't. I've heard about Mr. Wentworth from Victor Sutton--you know who I mean?” and Mrs. Marland proceeded to give some particulars of Calder Wentworth's career.
Meanwhile that gentleman himself was telling Agatha Glyn a very humorous story. Agatha did not laugh. Suddenly she interrupted him.
”Why don't you ask me more about it?”
”I thought you'd tell me if you wanted me to know,” he answered.
”You are the most insufferable man. Don't you care in the least what I do or where I go?”
”Got perfect confidence in you,” said Calder politely.
”I don't deserve it.”
”Oh, I daresay not; but it's so much more comfortable for me.”
”I disappeared--simply disappeared--for a fortnight; and you've never asked where I went, or what I did, or--or anything.”
”Haven't I? Where did you go?”
”I can't tell you.”