or two not ineligible offers, and it was necessary that something should be done.  There had been at one time a fear in Miss Cassewary’s bosom lest her charge should fall too deeply in love with Frank Tregear,—­but Miss Cassewary knew that whatever danger there might have been in that respect had passed away.  Frank was willing to talk to her, while Mabel and Lord Silverbridge were in a corner together.

’I shall be on tenterhooks now till I know how it is to be at Silverbridge,’ said the young lady.

‘It is very good of you to feel so much interest.’

’Of course I feel an interest.  Are you not one of us?  When is to be?’

‘They say that the elections will be over before the Derby.’

‘And which do you care for the most?’

‘I should like to pull off the Derby, I own.’

’From what papa says, I should think the other event is more probable.’

‘Doesn’t the Earl stand to win on Prime Minister?’

’I never know anything about his betting.  But,—­you know his way,—­ he said you were going to drop a lot of money like a-I can’t quite tell you what he likened you to.’

‘The Earl may be mistaken.’

‘You are not betting much, I hope.’

‘Not plunging.  But I have a little money on.’

‘Don’t get into the way of betting.’

‘Why:—­what difference does it make,—­to you?’

‘Is that kind, Lord Silverbridge?’

’I meant to say that if I did make a mess of it you wouldn’t care about it.’

’Yes, I should.  I should care very much.  I dare say you could lose a great deal of money and care nothing about it.’

‘Indeed I could not.’

’What would be a great deal of money to me.  But you would want to get it back again.  And in that way you would be regularly on the turf.’

‘And why not?’

‘I want to see better things from you.’

‘You ought not to preach against the turf, Lady Mab.’

’Because of papa?  But I am not preaching against the turf.  If I were such as you are I would have a horse or two myself.  A man in your position should do a little of everything.  You should hunt and have a yacht, and stalk deer and keep your own trainer at Newmarket.’

‘I wish you would say all that to my father.’

’Of course I mean if you can afford it.  I like a man to like pleasure.  But I despise a man who makes a business of his pleasures.  When I hear that this man is the best whist-player in London, and that man the best billiard-player, I always know that they can do nothing else, and then I despise them.’

‘You needn’t despise me, because I do nothing well,’ said he, as he got up to take his leave.

‘I do so hope you’ll get the seat,—­and win the Derby.’

These were her last words to him as she wished him good-night.

CHAPTER 10