Part 29 (1/2)
”Now what is it you have in the back of your mind?”
Braybrooke was slightly taken aback. He coughed and half closed his eyes, then gently pulled up his perfectly creased trousers, taking hold of them just above the knees.
”I really don't think--” he began.
”You and I are old friends. Do tell me.”
He certainly had not come intending to be quite frank, and this sudden attack rather startled him.
”You have formed some project,” she continued. ”I know it. Now let me guess what it is.”
”But I a.s.sure you--”
”You have found someone whom you think would suit Beryl as a husband.
Isn't that it?”
”Well, I don't know. I confess it had just occurred to me that with her beauty, her cleverness, and her money--for one has to think of money, unfortunately in these difficult days--she would be a very desirable wife for a rising ambitious man.”
”No doubt. And who is he?”
It was against all Braybrooke's instincts to burst out abruptly into the open. He scarcely knew what to do. But he was sufficiently sharp to realize that Lady Sellingworth already knew the answer to her question.
So he made a virtue of necessity and replied:
”It had merely occurred to me, after noting young Craven's enthusiasm about her beauty and cleverness, that he might suit her very well. He must marry and marry well if he wishes to rise high in the diplomatic career.”
”Oh, but some very famous diplomatists have been bachelors,” she said, still smiling.
She mentioned two or three.
”Yes, yes, I know, I know,” he rejoined. ”But it is really a great handicap. If anyone needs a brilliant wife it is an amba.s.sador.”
”You think Mr. Craven is destined to become an amba.s.sador?”
”I don't see why not--in the fullness of time, of course. Perhaps you don't know how ambitious and hard-working he is.”
”I know really very little about him.”
”His abilities are excellent. Learington has a great opinion of him.”
”And so you think Beryl would suit him!”
”It just occurred to me. I wouldn't say more than that. I have a horror of matchmaking.”
”Of course. Like all of us! Well, you may be right. She seemed to like him. You don't want me to do anything, I suppose?”
”Oh, no--no!” he exclaimed, with almost unnecessary earnestness, and looking even slightly embarra.s.sed. ”I only wished to know your opinion.
I value your opinion so very highly.”
She got up to stir the fire. He sprang, or rather got, up too, rather quickly, to forestall her. But she persisted.