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Rh her despise him; all the points in his character which Gerald Staunton had shown up for her own and her aunt's amusement at Gower's Court came out strongly during that disappointing tour. He had little appreciation of natural beauty, and except in the solitary case of music there was no sympathy of taste between them; and even in music his taste was in his wife's opinion rather low and meretricious. His temper, which was not quick, but slow and unforgiving, was roused to see that his wife neither gave him the love nor the deference which he deserved, and it was a relief to John Derrick too when they began to mix with the world.

It was in company alone that he felt any pleasure in Lady Eveline's society; she was a charming hostess; her timidity wore off; she was declared to be the most beautiful woman of the season, and he was proud of her. He liked to watch the homage she received, provided she was not herself very much pleased with it, and when they were in crowds there were no visible jars or incongruities of taste between them. So John Derrick filled his house with company, and he and Lady Eveline accepted every invitation they received. They often met with Gerald Staunton, and as he was considered very clever, and altogether a rising man, John Derrick was disposed to