Part 8 (2/2)
”I confess that was in my mind”
”It pleases you to jest, Captain Ellerey, and I a”
She rose, and he was forced to take her frory, and had gained nothing He had been ill-advised to question her
”You must pardon me,” he said
”You must earn your pardon, monsieur,” was her answer, as she turned aith another partner who had approached, leaving Ellerey perplexed
”A love quarrel, monsieur? I have noted several; they are frequent here”
At the slight touch on his arm Ellerey turned to face Lord Cloverton
”Hardly a quarrel, my lord; certainly not a love one,” he said
”I was mistaken then, or you think so, Captain Ellerey Love is a curious disease at all tinose so one has aht after all, Captain Ellerey I have e of this Court than you have; I have spent a longer ti, evidently expecting Ellerey to walk beside him across the roos,” Ellerey said, as he walked slowly by the A in vain to accoait of his companion
”Quite so, but it is hardly the best at man to develop himself in”
”Perhaps not”
”You interest me, Captain Ellerey”
”Since when, my lord?”
The small, deep-set eyes were turned upon hi of the question, and they looked into steady blue eyes, which, perhaps, h he did not say so ”You are thinking that I ht have taken notice of a countryman before this,” he replied ”Well, perhaps there is soht to my notice at the Embassy I heard no mention of Desmond Ellerey as a friend of anyone connected with the Elish officer was serving his Majesty the King of Wallaria”
”No, my lord, reat desire to increase the nuht, indeed, repeat your question--since when?” laughed Lord Cloverton, ”for lately surely you have made many new acquaintances, and move in the sunshi+ne of Royal favor”
”I am afraid I have not been conscious of the fact,” Ellerey returned
”I must beof the Queen”
Ellerey looked at Lord Cloverton in astonishment
”Indeed, I think you are racious to all I do not think she has been especially so to me”
”Another mistake of mine,” said the Aht They began iar into my coffee, instead of one It made it abominable, and I had to leave it But there is another reason why I have become interested in you lately I heard that you were the brother of Sir Ralph Ellerey I know Sir Ralph”
”We are certainly sons of the saot no further than that If you know h to accept his opinion about me, you have, doubtless, accorded me a very low place in your estimation”
”I am supposed never to accept another ,”
the A ives some prominence to the name of Ellerey, and his brother can hardly hope to pass through the world unnoticed”