Overcoming his embarrassment as best he could, the Earl told a pathetic and not entirely untruthful story about taking a lady friend to the Alhambra, losing track of her, and then falling victim to her wrath.
“She is not – the kind of woman you think,” he said. “The fault was mine for taking a well bred lady to such a place.”
“I don't know about a well bred lady,” the desk sergeant protested. “From what I heard she has a splendid right hook.”
The Earl ground his teeth.
“I slipped,” he said tensely. “And banged my head. Besides, you can hardly blame the poor girl for being angry with me.”
The sergeant became fatherly.
“Now look here, sir, I understand that you feel a sense of responsibility for this young person –”
“This young lady,” the Earl corrected him with an edge to his voice.
