"She is the only woman I've seen here yet that's worth
looking at," he observed.
"Don't you be too sure of that!" said Scott. "I can show you a little
Italian peasant girl who is well worth your august consideration. I think
you ought to bestow a little favour on her as you have each chosen to
assume the same nationality."
Sir Eustace laughed. "A _protegee_ of yours, eh? That little brown girl,
I suppose? Charming no doubt, my dear fellow; but ordinary--distinctly
ordinary."
"You haven't seen her yet," said Scott. "You had your back to her in the
_salle-a-manger._"
"Where is she then? You had better find her before the beautiful Miss de
Vigne makes her appearance. I don't mind giving her a dance or two, but
you must take her off my hands if we don't get on."
"I will certainly do that," said Scott in his quiet voice that seemed to
veil a touch of irony. "I believe she is in the vestibule now. No, here
she is!"
Dinah, with laughing lips and sparkling eyes, had just ventured to the
door with Billy. "We'll just peep," she said to her brother in the gay
young tones that penetrated so much further than she realized. "But I
shall never dare to dance. Why, I've never even seen the inside of a
ballroom before. And as to dancing with a real live man--" She broke off
as she caught sight of the two brothers standing together near the
entrance.
Eustace turned his restless eyes upon her, gave her a swift, critical
glance and muttered something to Scott.
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