For a few minutes Dick felt jealous of the other youth. Why should this lovely creature, who confessed that she had come from London solely to say a word of comfort in his (Dick's) ear, become in a moment so deeply absorbed in Tom Linley, who had no aspiration in the world except to improve himself as a performer on the violin?
In spite of that sudden twinge--it could scarcely be called a pang--of jealousy which he felt while watching Mrs. Abington giving all her attention to Tom Linley, his bewilderment did not disperse. But to do him justice, he had already ceased to think of her as a kind woman, and this was one step--though he did not know it--toward his discovery of the truth.
He did not get a chance to give further consideration to the question of the lady's motives at that time, for his friend Halhed waylaid him with a lugubrious face and a smile of infinite sickliness.
"You observe, Dick?" he said, nodding significantly.
"I observe much--a good deal more than I can understand," said Dick. "But what do you observe--that I am observing?"
"What? Oh, you must notice it--everybody must notice it. I dare swear that remarks are being made about it in every part of the Rooms," said Halhed.
"Do you mean Mrs. Abington?" he asked. "Why, man, 'tis only her fancy to give some slight attention to Tom Linley. She is an actress, and she may be about to act the part of a boy. They are all wild to do boys' parts. My father tells me that it was Mrs. Woffington who set the fashion more than twenty years ago."
"Mrs. Abington! Who cares the toss of a penny what freaks Mrs. Abington may indulge in?" sneered Mr. Halhed.
"No one, except fifty or sixty thousand playgoers in London," said Dick. "But pray, what is on your mind, Nat? Who is there present apart from her that calls for observation?"
"You are not so acute as I believed you to be, Dick, or you would know that 'tis not of any one present people are talking. You should have noticed that Miss Linley is absent, and that every one is saying that she is ashamed to face me. She has reason for it, Dick. Do you not allow that she treated me badly? Oh, you must allow so much; she treated me cruelly, for I give you my word, Dick, that I never offended her even by a look. I was not one of those presumptuous fools who made love to her. No word of love did I ever breathe in her hearing. Do you fancy that I am not speaking the truth, sir?"