Part 46 (1/2)

”Well, Alice is more beautiful than her mother ever was.”

There went across the table a bright electric spark out of Mrs.

Buckley's eye into her husband's, as rapid as those which move the quivering telegraph needles, and yet not un.o.bserved, I think, by Captain Brentwood, for there grew upon his face a pleasant smile, which, rapidly broadening, ended in a low laugh, by no means disagreeable to hear, though Sam wondered what the joke could be, until the Captain said,--

”An altogether comical party that last night at the Donovans', Buckley!

The most comical I ever was at.”

Nevertheless, I don't believe that it was that which made him laugh at all.

”A capital party!” said the Major, laughing. ”Do you know, Brentwood, I always liked those Donovans, under the rose, and last night I liked them better than ever. They were not such very bad neighbours, although old Donovan wanted to fight a duel with me once. At all events, the welcome I got last night will make me remember them kindly in future.”

”I must go down and call there before they go,” said Mrs. Buckley.

”People who have been our neighbours so many years must not go away without a kind farewell. Was Desborough there?”

”Indeed, he was. Don't you know he is related to the Donovans?”

”Impossible!”

”Fact, my dear, I a.s.sure you, according to Mrs. Donovan, who told me that the De Novans and the Desboroughs were cognate Norman families, who settled in Ireland together, and have since frequently inter-married.”

”I suppose,” said Mrs. Buckley, laughing, ”that Desborough did not deny it.”

”Not at all, my dear: as he said to me privately, 'Buckley, never deny a relations.h.i.+p with a man worth forty thousand pounds, the least penny, though your ancestors' bones should move in their graves.'”

”I suppose,” said Mrs. Buckley, ”that he made himself as agreeable as usual.”

”As usual, my dear! He made even Brentwood laugh; he danced all the evening with that giddy girl Lesbia Burke, who let slip that she remembered me at Naples in 1805, when she was there with that sad old set, and who consequently must be nearly as old as myself.”

”I hope you danced with her,” said Mrs. Buckley.

”Indeed I did, my dear. And she wore a wreath of yellow chrysanthemum, no other flowers being obtainable. I a.s.sure you we 'kept the flure' in splendid style.”

They were all laughing at the idea of the Major dancing, when Sam exclaimed, ”Good Lord!”

”What's the matter my boy?” said the Major.

”I must cry peccavi,” said Sam. ”Father, you will never forgive me! I forgot till this moment a most important message. I was rather knocked up, you see, and went to sleep, and that sent it out of my head.”

”You are forgiven, my boy, be it what it may. I hope it is nothing very serious.”

”Well, it is very serious,” said Sam. ”As I was coming by Hanging Rock, I rode up to the door a minute, to see if Cecil was at home,--and Mrs.

Mayford came out and wanted me to get off and come in, but I hadn't time; and she said, 'The Dean is coming here to-night, and he'll be with you to-morrow night, I expect. So don't forget to tell your mother.'”

”To-morrow night!” said Mrs. Buckley, aghast. ”Why, my dear, boy, that is to-night! What shall I do?”

”Nothing at all, my love,” said the Major, ”but make them get some supper ready. He can't have expected us to wait dinner till this time.”

”I thought,” said Captain Brentwood, ”that the Dean was gone back to England.”