Still possessed by the spirit of giddiness, I made him a profound court curtsy, such as had possibly been executed in the adjacent ballroom a hundred and fifty years previously, and then I walked off attended by Sam. Ten minutes later, when our loud and hilarious party had all been packed into the "Black Maria," I noticed Captain Falkland and his friend standing on the steps of the "Plough and Harrow," watching our proceedings with unaffected interest, until our high-spirited horses whirled us away into the darkness of the January night.
On our arrival at the Manor, Tossie followed me into my room for "a talk"; as we unhooked one another, and so to speak disarmed, naturally we discussed the dance.
"I need not ask you if you enjoyed yourself," she said, "you were quite the beauty. And it was a real treat to see you and that officer dancing together; a good partner, wasn't he?"
"Yes," I replied, "he holds you so comfortably, and always seems to know where he is going."
"And you did have what they call a 'success,' my dear; everyone was asking who you were, and I told them, a friend from London, who is stopping with me; one may as well tell a good lie when one goes about it. Did you not feel for all the world like a swan in a duck pond?"
"No, but a goose--and very much a goose."
Before Tossie retired to her own apartment she became most confidential and interesting, and informed me that Fred Block had been on the verge of a proposal, but she had headed him off as she could not yet make up her mind.
"As for you," she added, "I was very 'mum' when they were chaffing you in the bus about your best partner--I believe you gave him five waltzes. I know all about him, and they don't; shall I tell you?"
"If you like," I answered with affected nonchalance.
"Don't drawl," protested Tossie, "be interested or you shan't hear a word."
"Then listen. Captain Falkland is in some cavalry regiment. He has been staying at Landmere for Christmas with the Earl and Countess of Runnymede, his cousins; it is said they want him to marry Lady Amelia, a plain, washed-out thing with weak eyes. He is the only son of General and Lady Louisa Falkland--awfully proud people--and is very good-looking, as you may see; I do love the nice way his hair grows down over his square forehead--I should like to see you married to him, so I would!" and Tossie gave me a playful push.