He was looking magnificent in his riding clothes and his boots were so highly polished that they seemed to reflect like mirrors.
Charles and Jimmy would have risen to their feet, but he said,
“No, please don’t move. Good morning, Lady Mary, I am surprised to see you so early. The rest of my party will doubtless sleep late.”
“Lady Mary is very anxious to enter the steeplechase,” Charles said, “but to tell you the truth, I am astonished that you are allowing women on the course. I should have thought that the jumps were far too high for them.”
“I have lowered the first ten,” the Marquis replied, “but after that you will find the rest are more difficult than they have ever been.”
The Marquis said no more while he refused two dishes that were offered to him and took a small spoonful from
