198 THE MASTER OP THE HOUNDS. 



" Ah, yes, I see," exclaimed Beaucliamp, in an offended tone, 

 " your engagements to me are to be broken, but not to otliers." 



And he was turning indignantly away, when Lord Danby 

 said, " I fear, Beauchamp, there is some misunderstanding with 

 Miss Douglas and yourself about this quadrille, and if you have 

 a prior claim to mine, which I gather from your words, I will, 

 although most reluctantly, resign her hand for this set, trusting 

 to be more fortunate in another." 



" Oh no," replied Beauchamp, " Miss Douglas has made her 

 election in favour of your lordship, although previously engaged 

 to me, and of course therefore I must retire/' with which he 

 turned haughtily round and left them. 



Lord Malcolm, who was near enough to hear all that passed 

 between Blanche and Beauchamp, looked serious. Blanche was 

 so hurt as to be ready to cry, and Lord Danby, although flattered 

 by her preference for him, felt rather uncomfortable. " I am 

 really sorry," he observed to Blanche, " for this unpleasant mis- 

 understanding, but I hope you will acquit me of the least inten- 

 tional offence to Mr. Beauchamp." 



" It is entirely my fault," replied Blanche. *' I remember 

 now I did promise Mr. Beauchamp the sixth quadrille, which 

 this unfortunately is, although the seventh dance." 



" Oh, never mind, Blanche," whispered Malcolm ; " I will 

 set this mistake right with Beauchamp presently, although he is 

 confoundedly captious sometimes, and here I fear he has been 

 treated rather unceremoniously ; as I think, having the first 

 claim, you should have waived that of the Captain or Major in 

 his favour, at least, or have at once accepted his arm in place of 

 Lord Danby' s." 



" But really, Charles, I did not intend to offend him, although 

 wishing to avoid being considered rude by Lord Danby when 

 the set was formed." 



" No, my dear girl, that I hope he does not believe, and I 

 will endeavour to smooth down this unpleasantness." 



After the quadrille was concluded, Malcolm sought his 

 friend, trying to persuade him to ask Blanche for another dance, 

 which he hoped might be the means of reconciling this little 

 difference. 



" No, Malcolm," he replied, " I will sue no further, having 

 done so three times in vain ; and when positively in the right, 

 to be postponed even for a Duke's son is not very palatable." 



" Come, come, Beauchamp, don't give way to temper." 



"Noj Malcolm, temper has little to do with my preseut 



