"Why, there is the woman who was at the opera last night," exclaimed
Morella, at last. "How in the world did an outsider like that get here,
I wonder? She is quite pretty, close--don't you think so, Hector? Oh, I
forgot, you know her, of course; you talked to her last night, I
remember."
Hector did not answer; he was afraid to let himself speak.
Morella Winmarleigh was looking her best. A tonged, laced, flounced
best; and she was perfectly conscious of it, and pleased with herself
and her attractions.
She meant to keep Lord Bracondale with her for the rest of the evening
if possible, even if she had to descend to tricks scarcely flattering to
her own vanity.
"Do let us go for a walk," she said. "I have not yet seen the flower
decorations in the yellow salon, and I hear they are particularly
fine."
Hector by this time was beside himself at seeing Theodora converging
with her partner towards the large doors at the other end of the
ballroom.
"No," he said. "I am very sorry, but I am engaged for the next dance,
and must go and hunt up my partner. Where can I take you?"
Hector engaged for a dance? An unknown thing, and of course untrue. What
could this mean? Who would he dance with? That colonial creature? This
must be looked into and stopped at once.
Miss Winmarleigh's thin under-lip contracted, and a deeper red suffused
her blooming cheeks.
"I really don't know," she said. "I am quite lost, and I am afraid you
can't leave me until I find some one to take care of me." And she
giggled girlishly.
That such a large cow of a woman should want protection of any sort
seemed quite ridiculous to Hector--maddeningly ridiculous at the present
moment. Theodora had disappeared, having seen him standing there with
Morella Winmarleigh, who she had been told he was going to marry.
He was literally white with suppressed rage. The Royalty had
commandeered Anne, and among the dozens of people he knew there was not
one in sight with whom he could plant Morella Winmarleigh; so he gave
her his arm, and hurried along the way Theodora had disappeared.
"Are you going to Beechleigh for Whitsuntide?" Morella asked. "I am, and
I think we shall have a delightful party."
Hector was not paying the least attention. Theodora was completely out
of sight now, and might be lost altogether, for all they were likely to
overtake her among this crowd and the numberless exits and entrances.