"I am Alicia's debtor for life."
Yet a careful ear might have detected something a little hollow in the
tone.
Lady Niton looked at him, and then at Miss Drake, evidently restraining
her sharp tongue for once, though with difficulty. Marsham lingered a
moment making some last arrangements for the day with his sister. Diana
noticed that he towered over the men among whom he stood; and she felt
herself suddenly delighting in his height, in his voice which was
remarkably refined and agreeable, in his whole capable and masterful
presence. Bobbie Forbes standing beside him was dwarfed to
insignificance, and he seemed to be conscious of it, for he rose on his
toes a little, involuntarily copying Marsham's attitude, and looking
up at him.
As the shooters departed, Forbes bringing up the rear, Lady Niton laid
her wrinkled hand on his arm.
"Never mind, Bobbie, never mind!"--she smiled at him confidentially. "We
can't all be six foot."
Bobbie stared at her--first fiercely--then exploded with laughter, shook
off her hand and departed.
Lady Niton, evidently much pleased with herself, came back to the window
where most of the other ladies stood watching the shooters with their
line of beaters crossing the lawn toward the park beyond.
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