Page:Herbert Jenkins - Patricia Brent Spinster.djvu/265

 how things appeared to an intelligent contemporary who was not trammelled by tradition and parliamentary procedure.

Suddenly Patricia became aware that she had monopolised the conversation and that everyone was listening to her. She flushed and stopped.

"Please go on," said the Cabinet Minister; "don't stop, it's most interesting."

But Patricia had become self-conscious. However, the Duke with great tact picked up the thread, and soon the conversation became general.

As they rose from the table the Duke whispered to Patricia, "Don't hurry away, please, I want to have a chat with you after the others have gone."

As they went to the drawing-room, Lady Peggy came up to Patricia and linking her arm in hers, said:

"I'm dreadfully afraid of you now, Patricia. "Why everybody was positively drinking in your words. Wherever did you learn so much?"

"You cannot be secretary to a rising politician," said Patricia with a smile, "without learning a lot of statistics. I have to read up all sorts of things about pigs and babies and beetroot and street-noises and all sorts of objectionable things."

"What do you think of her, Goddy?" cried Lady Peggy to Elton as he joined them.

"I'm afraid she has made me feel very