“Oh, give me a little breathing time,” laughed Clytie. “You have had time to fix on your cap and bells, let me adjust mine.”
“Don't touch yourself or you would spoil the effect,” said Redgrave, mixing the metaphor for the sake of an opportunity of expressing his admiration of her beauty. “I wish I could paint that portrait of you now: 'Clytie, woman and artist.' There is one advantage about that combination--it assures perfect taste in dress.”
He looked her up and down critically, stroking his long gray beard.
“I am glad you like me,” said Clytie. “It cost me sleepless nights, I assure you. Didn't you know it was my serious occupation in life?”
“Well, my dear, I hope you will have your reward,” replied Redgrave, laughing--“only you won't find anybody who admires you and your genius half as heartily as I do.”
He nodded, smiled, and left her as one or two men came up to her, programme in hand. She gave them the dances they requested, and took a seat near the door by the side of some ladies of her acquaintance, watching animatedly the waltz that was in progress.
“Good-evening, Miss Davenant,” said a voice, deep and resonant, that made her start and the colour mount into her cheeks.
“You see I procured the invitation, and here I am. Where is your programme?”
He took her card attached with its bit of silk to her fan, and scribbled recklessly.
“You have nearly filled it all up!” she exclaimed.
“Naturally,” he replied. “Let us dance out the fag-end of this.”
She took his arm gaily, and with him entered the whirl of dancers.
“You are looking dazzling to-night,” he said. “What witchery have you to make your eyes so blue and your hair so glorious?”
She shook her head and smiled half inwardly, thinking of Redgrave's late compliment and differentiating it from this. Each man was honest, in his own way.
“I put myself down for all those dances,” he went on, “because there is not a woman in the room fit to look at after you. I couldn't dance with them, and I should have been bored and irritated with standing and watching you dancing with other people. Then we can get away and sit by ourselves.”
“But what are all the men to do, to whom I have to be polite?”
“They must give way to the man to whom you are always fascinating. I scarcely saw you at all yesterday. Now is my chance, and I am going to make the most of it.”