“Dye that one,” responded Nell. “And also the ribbons. I wish he might have gone with us to the masquerade: it would have been much more comfortable! I suppose . . .” She hesitated looking doubtfully at Letty. “I suppose you would not like to go to Merion with Cardross instead?”

“Nell!” almost shrieked Letty, an expression of scandalized dismay on her countenance. “Go to Merion in the middle of the season? You must be out of your senses! And if that is what Giles wishes us to do I think it is the shabbiest thing I ever heard of, when he promised I should go to the masquerade! Yes, and after fobbing me off with this, when I particularly wanted to go to the Covent Garden masquerade!” she added indignantly. “Saying it was not the thing, and we should go to the Beadings’ private masquerade instead! Just like him! I daresay, if I only knew—”

“It is not just like him, and I wish you will not fly into a pet for nothing!” said Nell, firing up. “If you only knew, he said not another word to persuade me to go with him to Merion when I reminded him that you particularly wished to go to the masquerade! And if Felix hadn’t failed—”

“But, Nell, it’s of no consequence!” Letty urged. “I am sure quite fifty of our friends are going to it, and even if we found ourselves amongst strangers it still wouldn’t signify, because Mrs. Beading is your cousin! I own, it would be more comfortable to take some gentleman along with us, but you may easily invite Westbury, or Sir George Marlow, or—”

“No!” said Nell emphatically. “Not to a masquerade!”

Letty uttered a tiny spurt of laughter. “Are you afraid they wouldn’t keep the line? For my part, I think it would be very good fun if they did flirt outrageously with us! But you are the oddest creature! Not up to snuff at all, in spite of having come out a whole year before I did.