"I understand," he answered--"more's the pity.--How is Lorraine?"
"I went--and stayed a minute," she replied. "I hope I wasn't in too great hurry to get away. It was ghastly, however--perfectly ghastly! I trust he doesn't send for me again. Don't let us talk about it," and she gave a little shudder and reached for her sherry.
Burgoyne, on her left, caught her eye as she did so and raised his glass.
"When did you join the Army!" she asked, as the glasses were replaced.
"Whenever we drink a toast to a pretty woman!" he laughed. "It's better than the navy's 'sweethearts and wives.' Sometimes it is a trifle awkward to drink to them both, you know."
He did not realize how it would sound to her until he ended--then he tried to gasp it back.
"I don't mind from you, Sheldon," she said.
"I didn't mean it!" he protested. "I was only talking."
"Just keep on talking," she replied. "I know you didn't mean it _that_ way.--And it is true enough sometimes--and _sometimes_ one doesn't care to drink to either," and she smiled slightly. "How lovely Marcia Emerson is, this evening," she remarked.
"From another woman that is a compliment indeed--but you can well afford to be generous, Stephanie, you can give them all cards and spades and little casino--and the ace of hearts."
"So long as I retain the Jack of Hearts, _n'est ce pas_?"
"And since you retain all the other hearts--your own included," he replied.
"Consider yourself curtsyed to most profoundly!" she laughed. "Now let us return to Miss Emerson. Warwick Devereux seems to be making pretty fast going--can you overhaul him?"
"Why should _I_ try to overhaul him?" he asked.
"For divers reasons--too numerous to mention--the main one is across the table."
"I hope so--and another reason is your disposition to be generous."
"As well as to annoy," he supplemented. "You mean I will try to annoy Dev?"
"I don't think the lady will be annoyed, if you were to try the overhauling act. You know Dev--and so does she, I assume. If she does want to land him, you'll be a relief. In either event, she'll be grateful--and a grateful woman can do much for the gratefulee, especially when he is a man."
"That is for you to find out," she replied.
"I don't know. I might overtake--and then not want the trick when I get it. Or I might want the trick--and then not be able to overtake."