But she felt also as if she were still at a
window, looking down a road, and listening to the sound of an approach.
"Did you see him?"
A lady near her was speaking to a friend.
"Yes. Doesn't he look shocking? Such an alteration!"
"Poor fellow! I wonder he cares to go about."
"And he's so clever. He helped me in a concert once--the Gordon boys, you
know--and I assure you--"
She did not catch anything more, but she felt a conviction that they were
speaking of Rupert Carey, and that he must be in the concert-room. Poor
Carey! She thought of the Arkell House ball, but only for a moment. Then
someone spoke to her. A moment later Miss Schley came slowly into the
room, accompanied by a very small, wiry-looking old woman, dreadfully
dressed, and by Leo Ulford, who was carrying a bouquet of red carnations.
The kind care of Mr. Ongrin had provided a bouquet for each lady who was
performing.
As Leo came in he looked round swiftly, furtively. He saw Fritz, and a
flush went over his face. Then Lady Holme saw him look at her with a
scowl, exactly like the scowl of an evil-tempered schoolboy. She bowed to
him slightly. He ignored the recognition, and spoke to Miss Schley with a
heavy assumption of ignominious devotion and intimacy. Lady Holme could
scarcely help smiling. She read the little story very plainly--the little
common story of Leo's desire to take a revenge for his thrashing fitting
in with some similar desire of Miss Schley's; on her part probably a wish
to punish Fritz for having ventured to say something about her impudent
mimicry of his wife.
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