Zarina stared at her uncle in astonishment.
“Pay – his addresses?” she repeated. “What did he mean by that?”
“It means, my dear, as you should be aware, that you have received the great honour of His Grace wishing you to be his wife.”
For a moment Zarina was speechless.
Then after a moment she responded,
“His – wife? But – he is – very old!”
“Malnesbury must be a little over fifty-five,” the General replied, “but he is in good health, as he is an athletic man who spends most of his time in the country.”
“I remember talking to him at Lady Coventry’s party last Wednesday,” Zarina said. “I think I danced with him at a very boring ball we went to in Grosvenor Square, but otherwise I have never spoken to him.”
She laughed.
“I only hope you told him that the whole idea was impossible.”
