"You love beauty of detail," he was saying as he noted Patty"s absorption.
"Oh, isn"t it great!" she exclaimed, and then suddenly realised that the expression was not at all in keeping with the dignity of her Princess gown.
But Mr. Merivale seemed amused rather than shocked.
"That"s American for "ripping," isn"t it?" he said, smiling. "But whatever the adjective, the fact is the same. Lady Herenden"s dinners are always the refinement of the spectacular."
Patty realised the appropriateness of this phrase, and cudgelled her brain for an appropriate reply. She began to think that playing grown-up was a more difficult game than she had supposed. Had she had on her own simple little frock, Mr. Merivale would not have talked to her like that.
"Don"t you remember last season," he went on, "when Lady Herenden had a real pond, with gold fish in the middle of the table, and ferns and water lilies round the edge?"
"I wasn"t here last season," said Patty. "I have never been in England until this summer."
"Indeed? I know you are an American, but you have really an English manner."
"It"s acquired," said Patty, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "I find my American manner isn"t admired over here, so I a.s.sume London airs."
"Ah, you wish to be admired?"
"Of all things!" declared naughty Patty, with a roguish glance at the jesting young man.
"You"ll probably get your wish," he replied. "I"m jolly well ready to do my share."
This brought the colour to Patty"s cheeks, and she turned slightly away, toward the man on her other side.
He was a slightly older man than Mr. Merivale and was the squire of an adjoining estate. He was quite ready to talk to his American neighbour, and began the conversation by asking her if she had yet seen Lady Herenden"s rose-orchard.
"No, Mr. Snowden," said Patty, "I only arrived a few hours ago, and I"ve not been round the place at all."
"Then let me show it to you, please. I"ll come over to-morrow morning for a stroll. May I?"
"I don"t know," said Patty, hesitatingly, for she was uncertain what she ought to do in the matter. "You see, I"m with Lady Hamilton, and whatever she says----"
"Oh, nonsense! She"ll spare you from her side for an hour or two. There"s really a lot to see."
Again poor Patty realised her anomalous position. But for her piled-up hair and her trained gown, the man would never have dreamed of asking her to go for a walk unchaperoned. Patty had learned the ethics of London etiquette for girls of eighteen, but she was not versed in the ways of older young women.
"We"ll see about it," she said, non-committally, and then she almost laughed outright at the sudden thought of Mr. Snowden"s surprise should he see her next day in one of her own simple morning frocks of light muslin. Lady Hamilton"s morning gowns were Paris affairs, with trailing frills and long knotted ribbons.
"It seems to amuse you," said Mr. Snowden, a trifle piqued at her merriment.
"You"ll be amused, too," she said, "if you see me to-morrow."
Then something in the man"s pleasant face seemed to invite confidence, and she said, impulsively:
"I may as well tell you that I"m masquerading. I"m not a grown-up lady at all. I"m not much more than a schoolgirl--not quite eighteen years old.
But--but my box didn"t come, and--and I had to wear Lady Hamilton"s gown.
It makes me seem a lot older, I know, but I had to do it, or stay away from dinner."
Mr. Snowden looked first amazed, and then he burst into laughter.
"I beg your pardon, I"m sure," he said, "but I had no idea! And so Lady Hamilton is your chaperon? I see. Of course. Well, we"ll have the stroll just the same, if you will, and we"ll ask her to go with us."
"Isn"t she the dearest thing?" exclaimed Patty, looking at Lady Kitty across the table, and feeling much more at her ease now that she had confessed her position.
"She is a beautiful and charming woman," agreed Mr. Snowden.
And then it was time for Patty to turn back to Mr. Merivale, for she had learned that one must divide the time fairly between dinner neighbors.
"I didn"t offend you, did I?" said young Merivale, eagerly. "You turned so quickly--and--and you--er--blushed, you know, and so I was afraid--er----"
But Patty was of no mind to confess the fewness of her years to everybody, and her mischievous spirit returned as she determined to chaff this amusing young man.
"What!" she said, reproachfully, "an Englishman, and afraid!"
"Afraid of nothing but a fair lady"s displeasure. All true Englishmen surrender to that."
"I"m not displeased," said Patty, dimpling and smiling; "in fact, I"ve even forgotten what you said."
"That"s good! Now we can start fresh. Will you save a lot of dances for me to-night?"
"Oh, will there be dancing?" exclaimed Patty, delighted at the prospect.
"Yes, indeed; in the big ballroom. Will you give me all the waltzes?"
Patty looked at him in amazement. "You said you were going to "start fresh,"" she said, "and now you"ve certainly done so!"
But the American phrase was lost on the Englishman, who only proceeded to repeat his request.
Meantime, Mr. Snowden was asking Patty for a dance.
"Certainly," she said, "I shall be pleased to dance with you."
"You"ll give me more than one dance or you needn"t give me any," grumbled young Merivale.
"All right," said Patty, quickly. "Mr. Snowden, I"ve just had a dance "returned with thanks," so you can have that, if you wish it."
"I do indeed," he replied, enthusiastically, and Mr. Merivale relapsed into a sulky silence.
Then Lady Herenden rose from the table, and the ladies all rose and followed her up to one of the beautiful salons, where coffee was served to them. Patty managed to secure a seat on a divan beside Lady Hamilton.
"You quite take my breath away, little Patty," said her friend, in a low voice. "You are already a favourite, and in a fair way to become the belle of the ball."
"I try not to act too old, Kitty," said Patty, earnestly, "but truly everybody thinks I"m a society lady. They don"t even look on me as a debutante."
"Never mind, dearie; have all the fun you can. Enjoy the dancing, and don"t care what anybody thinks."
Encouraged by Lady Hamilton"s approval, Patty ceased to think about her demeanour and proceeded to enjoy the conversation of those about her.