At nineteen Nigel had discovered
the older Lord Mount Dunstan and his son Tenham to be congenial
acquaintances, and had been so often absent from home that his
neighbours would have found social intercourse with him difficult, even
if desirable. Accordingly, when the county paper recorded the splendours
of The Great Panjandrum Function--which it by no means mentioned by that
name--the list of "Among those present" had not so far contained the
name of Sir Nigel Anstruthers.
So, on a morning a few days after his return, the master of Stornham
turned over a card of invitation and read it several times before
speaking.
"I suppose you know what this means," he said at last to Rosalie, who
was alone with him.
"It means that we are invited to Dunholm Castle for the ball, doesn't
it?"
Her husband tossed the card aside on the table.
"It means that Betty will be invited to every house where there is a son
who must be disposed of profitably.
"She is invited because she is beautiful and clever. She would be
invited if she had no money at all," said Rosy daringly. She was
actually growing daring, she thought sometimes. It would not have been
possible to say anything like this a few months ago.
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