“To-night I really couldn’t choose. Later on, I’m going to give two or three concerts. Is anything the matter with Mr. Carey?”
“Well, I hope it isn’t true what people are saying.”
“That’s he’s not very judicious in one way.”
A footman poured champagne into her glass. Robin Pierce touched the glass.
There was a rather unusual sound of sincerity in her voice.
“Oh, I don’t know. He talks shocking nonsense, of course, and is down on people and things. And he’s absurdly unsophisticated at moments, though he knows the world so well. He’s not like you--not a diplomat. But I believe if he had a chance he might do something great.”
Robin felt as if the hidden woman had suddenly begun to speak. Why did she speak about Rupert Carey?
“Do you like a man to do something great?” he said.
“But I perpetually hear you laughing at the big people--the Premiers, the Chancellors, the Archbishops, the Generals of the world.”
“Because I’ve always known them. And really they are so often quite absurd and tiresome.”
“Oh, he’s nothing at all, poor fellow! Still there’s something in his face that makes me think he could do an extraordinary thing if he had the chance. I saw it there to-night when he didn’t bow to me. There’s Sir Donald’s son. And what a dreadful-looking woman just behind him.”
Leo Ulford was coming down the gallery with a gaunt, aristocratic, harsh-featured girl. Behind him walked Mr. Bry, conducting a very young old woman, immensely smart, immensely vivacious, and immensely pink, who moved with an unnecessary alertness that was birdlike, and turned her head about sharply on a long, thin neck decorated with a large diamond dog-collar. Slung at her side there was a tiny jewelled tube.
The quartet sat down at the next table. Leo Ulford did not see Lady Holme at once. When he caught sight of her, he got up, came to her, stood over her and pressed her hand.
“Been away,” he explained. “Only back to-night.”
“I’ve been complaining to your father about you.”
“I can always manage to find what I want,” he returned, still smiling.
When he had gone back to his table Robin Pierce said:
“How insolent Englishmen are allowed to be in Society! It always strikes me after I’ve been a long time abroad. Doesn’t anybody mind it?”