"
"And leave it all to you, sir!" said Stafford, with a smile; but as he
spoke he drew a breath of relief; he should be free to help the
beautiful, lovely girl of Herondale.
A few hours later the visitors arrived, and before dinner the superb
drawing-room was, if not crowded, sufficiently well filled with the
brilliant company.
Nearly all the guests were extremely wealthy, most of them were
powerful, either in the region of politics or finance; and the
fashionable world was represented by some beautiful women with dresses
and diamonds above reproach, and some young men whose names stood high
at Hurlingham and Prinses.
Stafford stood beside his father as Sir Stephen went from group to
group, greeting one and another in his frank and genial yet polished
manner, which grew warm and marked by scarcely repressed pride, as he
introduced Stafford.
"My son, Lady Fitzharford. I think he has had the pleasure of meeting
you? I scarcely know who are his friends: we have been separated so
long! But we are restored to each other at last, I am happy to say!
Lady Clansford, you know my boy? Ah, he has had the advantage of me all
these years; he has not had to rush all over Europe, but has been able
to bask in the sunshine of grace and beauty.
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