Violet Jacob > Flemington

BALNILLO FINDS PERFECTION 237
regretted the price he had paid for the lace on
his cravat.
His name had roused Madam Flemington,
though she gave no sign of the thrill that went
through her as it fell from Mrs. Cockburn’s lips.
As David stood before her in the correct yet
sober foppery of his primrose and mouse-colour,
she regretted that she was quite ignorant of the
pretext on which Archie had left his picture
unfinished, nor upon what terms he had parted
with the judge. She had no reason for supposing
Balnillo to be aware of the young man’s real
character. He had been fighting with James
Logie, according to Skirling Wattie, yet there
seemed to be no enmity in the business, for here
was his brother, Lord Balnillo, assiduous in
getting himself presented to her. Mrs. Cockburn
had put her request with a smiling hint at the
effect she had produced on his lordship. Christian
glanced at David’s meticulous person and smiled,
arrogantly civil, secretly anxious, and remained
silent, ready to follow his lead with caution.
The shrewd side of Balnillo was uppermost
to-night, stimulated perhaps by the sight of
society and by the exhilarating sound of its voice.
He recovered his momentarily scattered wits and
determined to approach his new acquaintance
with such direct and simple questions as might
seem to her to be the natural inquiries of a man
interested in Flemington, and innocent of any
mystery concerning him. It was quite possible
—so he reasoned—that she was unaware of the