Part 6 (2/2)
”'Twas to see the ruins at Carrigmore, not us, that you came, wasn't it?” she said with a shade of humour.
He returned her glance seriously.
”Oh no,” he said. ”At least----”
”Ah, now you've let it out!” she cried, with a laugh. ”I knew it. I said so. Didn't I, Nance? I knew no one would come here just to see us.”
a.s.shlin laughed.
”'Pon my soul!” he cried, ”you haven't learned your market value yet, Clo! If I were a girl, I'm hanged if I'd rate myself lower than a fourth-century ruin.”
He laughed afresh.
But Clodagh displayed no embarra.s.sment. She was too unversed in the ways of coquetry to see or resent the point of the remark.
”I?” she said naively. ”What have I to do with it?”
After this there was a trifling silence, at the end of which, a.s.shlin looked quickly at his guest.
”By the way, James,” he exclaimed, ”we were too well amused last night to look ahead. I never thought of asking you about to-day. Have you any pet plans or schemes? Is it to be a pilgrimage to St. Galen? Or what do you say to a day in the saddle? There's a meet not five miles away; and if a good gallop pleases you, I have as neat a little horse for you as ever carried a saddle. What do you say? Of course if you think the Round Tower is likely to collapse or be demolished by a tidal wave, I won't raise a finger; but----”
Milbanke laughed.
”My dear Denis,” he said quickly, ”don't you trouble on my account.” He glanced deprecatingly over a.s.shlin's sporting attire. ”Don't you trouble about me. I never was a sportsman, as you know. I'll go to my own hunting, and you go to yours. Don't let me interfere with any plans you may have formed. I enjoy a solitary excursion.”
But a.s.shlin's face darkened.
”Oh no,” he objected after a short pause--”oh no. If you're not game for it, then the meet is off so far as I'm concerned. I can't have you roaming about the country by yourself. Oh no; I hope I remember my obligations.”
Milbanke looked distressed. With a genuine feeling of embarra.s.sment he turned from one face to the other.
”My dear Denis,” he objected feebly, ”I must really beg of you----”
”Not another word!--not another word!” a.s.shlin ostentatiously helped himself to some ham, ”I hope, James, that whatever our environments, we still understand the traditions of hospitality. If you don't feel on for it, there's no hunting for me to-day.”
After this there was another unpleasant pause. a.s.shlin attempted to hide his chagrin, but his face was unmistakably dark with disappointment.
For a s.p.a.ce Milbanke toyed with his breakfast, then he spoke again.
”But, my dear Denis, if you will only allow me----” he ventured.
But before a.s.shlin could reply, Clodagh's voice broke in.
”Oh! you needn't bother so much, father,” she said easily. ”You go to the meet, and I'll take Mr. Milbanke to Carrigmore. I'll drive him over in the pony-trap, or we'll walk--whichever he likes best.”
She spoke fluently and gaily, and it was difficult for Milbanke to reconcile the high, buoyant tones of her voice with the serious note struck by her the night before. Filled with relief, however, at her timely interruption, he was satisfied to let the discrepancy go unregarded.
”Excellent!” he cried--”an excellent idea, Miss Clodagh! Here's your difficulty solved, Denis. Your Irish sense of chivalry won't allow you to deprive me of so charming a guide.”
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