Page:O Genteel Lady! (1926).pdf/106

 'I'd rather go to the hack and wait for the others,' she replied.

He did not urge her, but silently found the right sleigh, tucked her up with bear robes, and bowing, left her.

Alone in the dark she tried to forget the strange moment when she had felt the moorings begin to break within her and the fear that she might come to love this man had terrified her. Absurd, of course. There was no reason why she should love him more than another one. And her code did not permit a lady to love a man previous to his 'declaration.'

It seemed hours later that quite suddenly and softly the door opened, and not Miss Bigley, but Captain Jones himself entered, shaking the snow that still fell in tatters from his white headgear. He turned towards a bevy of young dandies who escorted him. 'Yes, good-night,' he called, and, 'Yes, interesting country...oh, no, not too difficult...thank you, yes.' The coachman cracked the whip, the frozen runners held against the first pull of the horses, then broke loose with a jerk. Slowly and casually he turned to his companion. She was humiliated to think that he might believe she was intentionally lying in wait for him, and instantly and rather ungraciously began to explain that she had understood that this was the sleigh reserved for the ushers.

'Yes,' he said, 'but I travel with the ushers, you know.'