第56章

Blanchesaidit。Anne’seyesfastenedonherface，withonelong，yearninglook，andthenAnne’shandsuddenlydroppedhers。

Sheranoutoftheroom，moreagitated，moreuneasy，thanshelikedtoconfesstoherself。NeverhadshefeltsocertainoftheurgentnecessityofappealingtoSirPatrick’sadviceasshefeltatthatmoment。

Theguestswerestillsafeattheluncheon-tablewhenBlancheenteredthedining-room。

LadyLundieexpressedthenecessarysurprise，intheproperlygraduatedtoneofreproof，atherstep-daughter’swantofpunctuality。Blanchemadeherapologieswiththemostexemplaryhumility。Sheglidedintoherchairbyheruncle’sside，andtookthefirstthingthatwasofferedtoher。SirPatricklookedathisniece，andfoundhimselfinthecompanyofamodelyoungEnglishMiss——andmarveledinwardlywhatitmightmean。

Thetalk，interruptedforthemoment(topics，PoliticsandSport——andthen，whenachangewaswanted，SportandPolitics)，wasresumedagainallroundthetable。Undercoveroftheconversation，andintheintervalsofreceivingtheattentionsofthegentlemen，BlanchewhisperedtoSirPatrick，“Don’tstart，uncle。Anneisinthelibrary。“(PoliteMr。Smithofferedsomeham。Gratefullydeclined。)“Pray，pray，praygotoher；sheiswaitingtoseeyou——sheisindreadfultrouble。“(GallantMr。

Jonesproposedfruittartandcream。Acceptedwiththanks。)“Takehertothesummer-house：I’llfollowyouwhenIgetthechance。

Andmanageitatonce，uncle，ifyouloveme，oryouwillbetoolate。“

BeforeSirPatrickcouldwhisperbackawordinreply，LadyLundie，cuttingacakeoftherichestScottishcomposition，attheotherendofthetable，publiclyproclaimedittobeher“owncake，“and，assuch，offeredherbrother-in-lawaslice。Thesliceexhibitedaneruptionofplumsandsweetmeats，overlaidbyaperspirationofbutter。IthasbeensaidthatSirPatrickhadreachedtheageofseventy——itis，therefore，needlesstoaddthathepolitelydeclinedtocommitanunprovokedoutrageonhisownstomach。

“MYcake!“persistedLadyLundie，elevatingthehorriblecompositiononafork。“Won’tthattemptyou？“

SirPatricksawhiswaytoslippingoutoftheroomundercoverofacomplimenttohissister-in-law。Hesummonedhiscourtlysmile，andlaidhishandonhisheart。

“Afalliblemortal，“hesaid，“ismetbyatemptationwhichhecannotpossiblyresist。Ifheisawisemortal，also，whatdoeshedo？“

“HeeatssomeofMycake，“saidtheprosaicLadyLundie。

“No!“saidSirPatrick，withalookofunutterabledevotiondirectedathissister-in-law。

“Hefliestemptation，dearlady——asIdonow。“Hebowed，andescaped，unsuspected，fromtheroom。

LadyLundiecastdownhereyes，withanexpressionofvirtuousindulgenceforh