Part 56 (1/2)

”She has not been at Portman Square?”

”Oh no; but then Lady Glencora is so much more advanced than we are!

After all, we are but humdrum people, as the world goes now.”

Then Phineas began to roam about the rooms, striving to find an opportunity of engrossing five minutes of Miss Effingham's attention.

During the time that Lady Laura was giving him the history of Madame Max Goesler his eyes had wandered round, and he had perceived that Violet was standing in the further corner of a large lobby on to which the stairs opened,--so situated, indeed, that she could hardly escape, because of the increasing crowd, but on that very account almost impossible to be reached. He could see, also, that she was talking to Lord Fawn, an unmarried peer of something over thirty years of age, with an unrivalled pair of whiskers, a small estate, and a rising political reputation. Lord Fawn had been talking to Violet through the whole dinner, and Phineas was beginning to think that he should like to make another journey to Blankenberg, with the object of meeting his lords.h.i.+p on the sands. When Lady Laura had done speaking, his eyes were turned through a large open doorway towards the spot on which his idol was standing. ”It is of no use, my friend,” she said, touching his arm. ”I wish I could make you know that it is of no use, because then I think you would be happier.” To this Phineas made no answer, but went and roamed about the rooms. Why should it be of no use? Would Violet Effingham marry any man merely because he was a lord?

Some half-hour after this he had succeeded in making his way up to the place in which Violet was still standing, with Lord Fawn beside her. ”I have been making such a struggle to get to you,” he said.

”And now you are here, you will have to stay, for it is impossible to get out,” she answered. ”Lord Fawn has made the attempt half-a-dozen times, but has failed grievously.”

”I have been quite contented,” said Lord Fawn;--”more than contented.”

Phineas felt that he ought to give some special reason to Miss Effingham to account for his efforts to reach her, but yet he had nothing special to say. Had Lord Fawn not been there, he would immediately have told her that he was waiting for an answer to the question he had asked her in Saulsby Park, but he could hardly do this in presence of the n.o.ble Under-Secretary of State. She received him with her pleasant genial smile, looking exactly as she had looked when he had parted from her on the morning after their ride. She did not show any sign of anger, or even of indifference at his approach.

But still it was almost necessary that he should account for his search of her. ”I have so longed to hear from you how you got on at Loughlinter,” he said.

”Yes,--yes; and I will tell you something of it some day, perhaps.

Why do you not come to Lady Baldock's?”

”I did not even know that Lady Baldock was in town.”

”You ought to have known. Of course she is in town. Where did you suppose I was living? Lord Fawn was there yesterday, and can tell you that my aunt is quite blooming.”

”Lady Baldock is blooming,” said Lord Fawn; ”certainly blooming;--that is, if evergreens may be said to bloom.”

”Evergreens do bloom, as well as spring plants, Lord Fawn. You come and see her, Mr. Finn;--only you must bring a little money with you for the Female Protestant Unmarried Women's Emigration Society. That is my aunt's present hobby, as Lord Fawn knows to his cost.”

”I wish I may never spend half-a-sovereign worse.”

”But it is a perilous affair for me, as my aunt wants me to go out as a sort of leading Protestant unmarried female emigrant pioneer myself.”

”You don't mean that,” said Lord Fawn, with much anxiety.

”Of course you'll go,” said Phineas. ”I should, if I were you.”

”I am in doubt,” said Violet.

”It is such a grand prospect,” said he. ”Such an opening in life. So much excitement, you know; and such a useful career.”

”As if there were not plenty of opening here for Miss Effingham,”

said Lord Fawn, ”and plenty of excitement.”

”Do you think there is?” said Violet. ”You are much more civil than Mr. Finn, I must say.” Then Phineas began to hope that he need not be afraid of Lord Fawn. ”What a happy man you were at dinner!” continued Violet, addressing herself to Phineas.

”I thought Lord Fawn was the happy man.”

”You had Madame Max Goesler all to yourself for nearly two hours, and I suppose there was not a creature in the room who did not envy you.

I don't doubt that ever so much interest was made with Lady Glencora as to taking Madame Max down to dinner. Lord Fawn, I know, intrigued.”