"Are you, Alicia?" said her cousin, "Then egad, I'll run and fetch him,
and introduce you to him at once."

Now, so complete was the dominion which Lady Audley had, in her own
childish, unthinking way, obtained over her devoted husband, that it was
very rarely that the baronet's eyes were long removed from his wife's
pretty face. When Robert, therefore, was about to re-enter the inn, it
needed but the faintest elevation of Lucy's eyebrows, with a charming
expression of weariness and terror, to make her husband aware that she
did not want to be bored by an introduction to Mr. George Talboys.

"Never mind to-night, Bob," he said. "My wife is a little tired after
our long day's pleasure. Bring your friend to dinner to-morrow, and then
he and Alicia can make each other's acquaintance. Come round and speak
to Lady Audley, and then we'll drive home."

My lady was so terribly fatigued that she could only smile sweetly, and
hold out a tiny gloved hand to her nephew by marriage.

"You will come and dine with us to-morrow, and bring your interesting
friend?" she said, in a low and tired voice. She had been the chief
attraction of the race-course, and was wearied out by the exertion of
fascinating half the county.

"It's a wonder she didn't treat you to her never-ending laugh,"
whispered Alicia, as she leaned over the carriage-door to bid Robert
good-night; "but I dare say she reserves that for your delectation
to-morrow. I suppose _you_ are fascinated as well as everybody else?"
added the young lady, rather snappishly.