'Mind you keep
your word,' she said. And then she turned to her father, 'Lord
Silverbridge has promised to call.'
'Mrs Boncassen will be delighted to make his acquaintance.'
He got into his cab and was driven off before Richmond. As he went
he began to think of the two young women with whom he had passed
his morning. Mabel had certainly behaved badly to him. Even if she
suspected nothing of his object, did she not owe it to their
friendship to be more courteous to him than she had been? And if
she suspected that object, should she not at any rate given him
that opportunity?
Or could it be that she was really jealous of the American girl?
No;--that idea he rejected instantly. It was not compatible with
the innate modesty of his disposition. But no doubt the American
girl was very lovely. Merely as a thing to be looked at she was
superior to Mabel. He did feel that as to mere personal beauty she
was in truth superior to anything he had ever seen before. And she
was clever too;--and good-humoured;--whereas Mabel had been both
ill-natured and unpleasant.
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