All places were more or less alike to Mr.
Bellingham.

At the present moment, however, he was thinking principally of his fair charge, and was wondering inwardly what time he would get home, for he rose early and was fond of a nap in the late evening.

He therefore gave Margaret his arm, and kept a lookout for some amusing man to introduce to her.

He had really enjoyed his dinner and the pleasant chat afterwards, but the prospect of piloting this magnificent beauty about till morning, or till she should take it into her head to go home, was exhausting.

Besides, he went little into society of this kind, and was not over-familiar with the faces he saw.
He need not have been disturbed, however, for they had not been many minutes in the rooms before a score of men had applied for the "pleasure of a turn." But still she held Mr.Bellingham's arm, obdurately refusing to dance.