"There is Lord Worthington," she said, indicating the slight
gentleman. "Surely that cannot be his invalid friend with him?"
"That is the man that lives at the Warren," said Alice. "I know his
appearance."
"Which is certainly not suggestive of a valetudinarian," remarked
Lucian, looking hard at the stranger.
They had now come close to the two, and could hear Lord Worthington,
as he prepared to enter the carriage, saying, "Take care of
yourself, like a good fellow, won't you? Remember! if it lasts a
second over the fifteen minutes, I shall drop five hundred pounds."
Hermes placed his arm round the shoulders of the young lord and gave
him a playful roll. Then he said with good accent and pronunciation,
but with a certain rough quality of voice, and louder than English
gentlemen usually speak, "Your money is as safe as the mint, my
boy."
Evidently, Alice thought, the stranger was an intimate friend of
Lord Worthington. She resolved to be particular in her behavior
before him, if introduced.
"Lord Worthington," said Lydia.
At the sound of her voice he climbed hastily down from the step of
the carriage, and said in some confusion, "How d' do, Miss Carew.
Lovely country and lovely weather--must agree awfully well with you.
Plenty of leisure for study, I hope."
"Thank you; I never study now. Will you make a book for me at
Ascot?"
He laughed and shook his head. "I am ashamed of my low tastes," he
said; "but I haven't the heap to distinguish myself in your--Eh?"
Miss Carew was saying in a low voice, "If your friend is my tenant,
introduce him to me."
Lord Worthington hesitated, looked at Lucian, seemed perplexed and
amused at the name time, and at last said, "You really wish it?"
"Of course," said Lydia. "Is there any reason--"
"Oh, not the least in the world since you wish it," he replied
quickly, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he turned to his
companion who was standing at the carriage door admiring Lydia, and
being himself admired by the stoker. "Mr. Cashel Byron: Miss Carew."
Mr. Cashel Byron raised his straw hat and reddened a little; but, on
the whole, bore himself like an eminent man who was not proud. As,
however, he seemed to have nothing to say for himself, Lord
Worthington hastened to avert silence by resuming the subject of
Ascot. Lydia listened to him, and looked at her new acquaintance.
Now that the constraint of society had banished his former
expression of easy good-humor, there was something formidable in him
that gave her an unaccountable thrill of pleasure. The same
impression of latent danger had occurred, less agreeably, to Lucian,
who was affected much as he might have been by the proximity of a
large dog of doubtful temper. Lydia thought that Mr. Byron did not,
at first sight, like her cousin; for he was looking at him
obliquely, as though steadily measuring him.