With this hope, she had already been traversing the square upwards of
half an hour, attended by her maid, when her anxious eye at last
caught a view of his figure proceeding along Margaret Street. Hardly
able to support her tottering frame, shaken as it was with contending
emotions, she accosted him first: for he was passing straight onward,
without looking to the right or the left. On seeing her ladyship, he
stopped, and expressed his pleasure at the meeting.
"If you _really_ are pleased to meet me," said she, forcing a
smile, "take a walk with me round the square. I want to speak with
you."
Thaddeus bowed, and she put her arm through his, but remained silent
for a few minutes, in evident confusion. The count recollected it
must now be quite two. He knew the awkwardness of making the Misses
Dundas wait; and notwithstanding his reluctance to appear impatient
with Lady Sara, he found himself obliged to say--
"I am sorry I must urge your ladyship to honor me with your commands,
for it is already past the time when I ought to have been with the
Misses Dundas."
"Yes," cried Lady Sara, angrily, "Miss Euphemia told me as much; but,
Mr. Constantine, as a friend, I must warn you against her acts, as
well as against those of another lady, who would do well to correct
the boldness of her manner."
"Whom do you mean, madam?" interrogated Thaddeus, surprised at her
warmth, and totally at a loss to conjecture to whom she alluded.
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