At luncheon Lord Valmond sat next to me; he said we had been horrid not to have wanted him to spend the morning with us, and would I let him teach me “Bridge” afterwards?  I said I really was not a bit interested in cards, but he said it was a delightful game, so I said All right.  After lunch in the saloon I overheard Mrs. Murray-Hartley say to Lady Greswold that she feared this awful weather would make her party a failure, and what was she to do to amuse them this afternoon?  So Lady Greswold said:  “Leave ’em alone with plenty of opportunities to talk to their friends, and it will be all right.”  And so she did.

[Sidenote:  An Afternoon at Cards]

Lord Valmond and I found a nice little table in a corner by the fire, and we began to turn over the cards, and presently every one disappeared, except Lady Doraine and Mr. Wertz, who played Patience or something, beyond one of the Spanish leather screens; and Lady Bobby and Lord Oldfield, who were smoking cigarettes together on the big sofa.  We could just hear their voices murmuring.  You can’t play “Bridge” with only two people, I find, and when Lord Valmond had explained the principles to me, I was none the wiser.  I suppose I was thinking of something else, and he said I was a stupid little thing, but in such a nice voice, and then we talked and did not worry about the cards.  But after a while he said he thought it was draughty for me in the saloon, and it would be cosier in one of the sitting-rooms, but I would not go, Mamma, as I did not find it at all cold.

[Sidenote:  Lord Doraine intrudes]

Then Lord Doraine came in, and went over and disturbed everybody in turn, and finally sat down by us, and Lady Bobby laughed out loud, and Lady Doraine peeped round the screen with her mischievous tortoise-shell cat expression, so I just said I would go and dress for tea, and came upstairs.  I am sure they were all trying to make me feel uncomfortable, but I didn’t a bit.  I heard them shrieking with laughter as I left, and I caught a glimpse of Lord Valmond’s face, and it was set as hard as iron.

Octavia wants me to wear my only other new ball dress to-night, the white gauze, so I suppose I must, and I do hope the rain will stop before we start.—­With love from your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth.

P.S.—­Agnes says she won’t sup downstairs, as there was so much champagne in the “room” last night that several of the valets got drunk, and she thinks it is not distingue.

Foljambe Place,

Wednesday.

[Sidenote:  Sir Hugh d’Eynecourt]

Dearest Mamma,—­Octavia is writing to you, and we have such a piece of news for you!  I will tell you presently.