Our Admirable Betty Part 7

At this Lady Belinda, opening her languid eyes, stared and gasped again.

"Mercy of heaven, child!" she exclaimed, "what do you?"

"Sew on this gentleman's b.u.t.tons, aunt!"

"b.u.t.tons, child! Heaven above!"

"Coat-b.u.t.tons, aunt!"

"Mercy on us! b.u.t.tons! In the arbour! With a man----"

"Major d'Arcy, our neighbour, aunt. Major, my aunt, Lady Belinda Damain."

Hereupon the Major bowed a trifle awkwardly since Lady Betty still had him in leash, while her aunt, rising, sank into a curtsey that was a wonder to behold and thereafter sighed and languished like the faded beauty she was.

"My undutiful niece, sir," said she, "hath no eye to decorum, she is for ever shocking the proprieties and me--alack, 'tis a naughty baggage--a romping hoyden, a wicked puss----"

"Aunt Belinda, dare to call me a 'puss' again and I'll scratch!"

"And you are Major d'Arcy--of the Guards?"

"Late of the Third, madam."

"Related to the d'Arcys of Suss.e.x?"

"Very distantly, I believe."

"Charming people! A n.o.ble family!"

The Major would have bowed again but for my lady Betty's levelled needle; thereafter while her aunt alternately prattled of the joys of Bath and languished over the delights of London, the Major's b.u.t.tons were rapidly sewn into place and my lady was in the act of nibbling the thread when once again the ponderous menial drew nigh who, making the utmost of his generous proportions, announced:

"Lord Alvaston, Captain West and Mr. Dalroyd----"

"O Betty!" exclaimed Lady Belinda, clasping rapturous fingers, "Mr.

Dalroyd--that charming man who was so attentive at Bath and afterwards in London--such legs, my dear, O Gemini!"

"To see the Lady Elizabeth--most express, my ladies."

"Tell them to go--say I'm busy----"

"Betty!" wailed her aunt.

"Say I'm engaged, say----"

"O Bet--Betty--my child," twittered her aunt, "why this cruel coldness--this harsh rigour?"

"O say I'm out--say anything!"

"Which, my lady, I did--most particular and Mr. Dalroyd remarks as how he'll wait till you will--most determined!"

"O the dear, delightful, bold creature! And such a leg, my dear! Such an air and--O dear heart o' me, if he isn't coming in quest of us yonder! The dear, desperate, audacious man! I'll go greet him and do you follow, child!"

And Lady Belinda fluttered twittering away, followed by the ponderous lackey.

The Major sighed and glanced toward the distant ladder.

"You would appear to be in much request, madam," said he, "and faith, 'tis but natural, youth and such beauty must attract all men and----"

"All men, sir?"

"Indeed, all men who are blessed with eyes to see----"

Here chancing to meet her look he faltered and stopped.

"To see--what?" she enquired.

"'Bewitching Bet'!" he answered bowing very low.

"Ah--no!" she cried--"not you!" and turning suddenly away she broke off a rose that bloomed near by and stood twisting it in her white fingers.

"And wherefore not?" he questioned.

"'Tis not for _your_ lips," she said, softly.

The Major whose glance happened to be wandering, winced slightly and flushed.

"Aye--indeed, I had forgot," said he, rather vaguely--"Youth must to youth and----"

"Must it, sir?

"Inevitably, madam, it is but natural and----"

"How vastly wise you are, Major d'Arcy!" The curl of her lip was quite wasted on him for he was staring at the rose she was caressing.

"'Twas said also by one much wiser than I 'crabbed age and youth cannot live together.' And you are very young, my lady and--very beautiful."

"And therefore to be pitied!" she sighed.

"In heaven's name, why?"

"For that I am a lonely maid that suffers from a plague of beaux, sir, most of them over young and all of them vastly trying. 'Bewitching Bet'!" This time he did see the scorn of her curling lip. "I had rather you call me anything else--even 'child' or--'Betty.'"

They stood awhile in silence, the Major looking at her and she at the rose: "'Betty'!" said he at last, half to himself, as if trying the sound of it. "'Tis a most--pretty name!"

"I had not thought so," she answered. And there was silence again, he watching where she was heedlessly brus.h.i.+ng the rose to and fro across her vivid lips and looking at nothing in particular.

"Your guests await you," said he.