Part 7 (1/2)

He halted a moment on one of the steps, fixed the monocle to his left eye, and lordly surveyed the two groups.

After evidently satisfying himself as to their personnel, he deliberately removed the monocle from his eye and resumed his pa.s.sage down the steps. ”Miss Thorpe here, and Mr. Harris, and Mrs. Thorpe, and the fair Hazel”--and ignoring Corway, he went on--”then I shall have no need to commune alone with my thoughts.”

”I am sure my Lord Beauchamp is too much of a devotee to the 'tripping muse' to absent himself very long from the ball-room?” volunteered Constance.

”Indeed it would be difficult for me to enjoy myself for any length of time away from the place where, as Byron puts it, 'Youth and Beauty meet, to chase the glowing hours with flying feet.'” And moving over to Hazel, he said: ”By the way, you have promised me the pleasure of dancing with you the next waltz.”

”Indeed!” replied the maid, eyeing him archly, ”the honor of a waltz with my lord is too rare a favor to be neglected.”

The gracious and suave smile with which Rutley answered her was not at all appreciated by Mr. Corway.

And as Rutley glanced his way, their eyes met. Virginia saw it. She instantly grasped the full meaning of that glance--the deadly hatred of rivals.

Rutley, with familiarity begotten of mutual esteem, as he fondly hoped, linked Hazel's yielding arm in his and led her toward the piazza. ”By the way,” and he spoke very confidently, ”Mr. Corway seems to have a warm attachment for Mrs. Thorpe”--

The girl halted and looked questioningly at him.

”I mean,” continued Rutley, in a sort of apologetic tone, ”he is apparently quite the lion with her.”

Pa.s.sing a few feet near them were John Thorpe and Mrs. Harris, who had appeared unnoticed from another part of the grounds.

John Thorpe plainly heard Rutley's allusion to Corway and his wife, and became profoundly sensible of that same strange feeling infolding him, as he experienced when Virginia first intimated Corway's questionable character. ”Is it possible that, after all, Constance, and not Hazel, is the real object of his attention?”

He was conscious of a sense of jealousy arising within him, and so strong and virulent as to be beyond control, and compelled him to turn aside, to conceal the anger that must be depicted on his face. He halted while Mrs. Harris joined Virginia and Mr. Harris.

”Mrs. Thorpe is most attractive,” Hazel at length replied.

”I have heard that not long ago he was attached to Miss Thorpe, but lately has transferred his affection to another,” continued Rutley.

”Virginia was fond of his society, yet 'tis not always, you may remember, that those who have won our love return it.”

The strains of dreamy music drifted out upon the air.

”Well, at present, Corway seems persistent in his attentions to Mrs.

Thorpe.”

Again John Thorpe winced at the connection of his wife's name with Corway.

And then Rutley felt himself pushed aside, while Corway offered his arm to Hazel.

”Will you accompany me to the ball-room?”

Hazel drew a step aside and exclaimed, half angrily, yet seemingly rather pleased at Corway's audacity.

”Joe!”

”Hazel!” he responded with just the faintest suggestion of command in his voice.

It was his first a.s.sumption of authority over his affianced, and he won--for unlike the ”feminine forwards” of the new school, she appreciated his strong character and showed it by clinging to his arm.