Henry Fordyce felt duly elated at the prospect, and Mrs.Howard had an air of pensive mischief in her violet eyes.

Lord Fordyce, who had been accustomed for years to making speeches for his party, and was known as a ready orator, found himself rather silent, and even a little nervous, for the first hundred yards or so.

She looked so bewitching, he thought, in her fresh white linen, showing up the round peachiness of her young cheeks, and those curling, childish, brown lashes making their shadow.

He was overcome with a desire to kiss her.

She was so supremely healthy and delectable.