“What, Monsieur Dessin, you must be off?  Will you let me have a horse saddled for yourself; and the pony for mademoiselle?  The groom can bring them back.”

Monsieur Dessin declined the offer; and a few minutes later started to walk back with his daughter to Derby.

Chapter 2:  Rupert to the Rescue.

About a month after the day on which Rupert had taken Mademoiselle Adele Dessin out hawking, the colonel and Mistress Dorothy went to dine at the house of a county family some miles away.  The family coach, which was only used on grand occasions, was had out, and in this Mistress Dorothy, hooped and powdered in accordance with the fashion of the day, took her seat with Colonel Holliday.  Rupert had been invited, as the eldest son was a lad of his own age.

It was a memorable occasion for him, as he was for the first time to dress in the full costume of the period—­with powdered hair, ruffles, a blue satin coat and knee breeches of the same material, with silk stockings.  His greatest pleasure, however, was that he was now to wear a sword, the emblem of a gentleman, for the first time.  He was to ride on horseback, for madam completely filled the coach with her hoops and brocaded dress, and there was scarcely room for Colonel Holliday, who sat beside her almost lost in her ample skirts.

The weather was cold, and Rupert wore a riding cloak over his finery, and high boots, which were upon his arrival to be exchanged for silver-buckled shoes.  They started at twelve, for the dinner hour was two, and there were eight miles to drive—­a distance which, over the roads of those days, could not be accomplished much under two hours.  The coachman and two lackeys took their places on the box of the lumbering carriage, the two latter being armed with pistols, as it would be dark before they returned, and travelling after dark in the days of King William was a danger not to be lightly undertaken.  Nothing could be more stately, or to Rupert’s mind more tedious, than that entertainment.  Several other guests of distinction were present, and the dinner was elaborate.

The conversation turned chiefly on county business, with an occasional allusion to the war with France.  Politics were entirely eschewed, for party feeling ran too high for so dangerous a subject to be broached at a gathering at which both whigs and tories were present.

Rupert sat near one end of the table, with the eldest son of the host.  As a matter of course they kept absolute silence in an assembly of their elders, only answering shortly and respectfully when spoken to.  When dinner was over, however, and the ladies rose, they slipped away to a quiet room, and made up for their long silence by chatting without cessation of their dogs, and hawks, and sports, until at six o’clock the coach came round to the door, and Rupert, again donning his cloak and riding boots, mounted his horse, and rode slowly off after the carriage.