The latter lady moved away and joined
the group at the fire as Mr. Carr approached Lady Hartledon.
"You have your little charge here, I see!"
"Please excuse it; I meant to have sent him away before any of you came
up," she said, quite pleadingly. "Sarah took upon herself to proclaim
aloud that his eyes were not straight, and I could not help having him
brought down to refute her words. Not straight, indeed! She's only
envious of him."
Sarah was Lady Kirton. Mr. Carr smiled.
"She has no children herself. I think you might be proud of your godson,
Mr. Carr. But he ought not to have been here to receive you, for all
that."
"I have come up soon to say good-bye, Lady Hartledon. In ten minutes I
must be gone."
"In all this snow! What a night to travel in!"
"Necessity has no law. So, sir, you'd imprison my finger, would you!"
He had touched the child's hand, and in a moment it was clasped round his
finger. Lady Hartledon laughed.
"Lady Kirton--the most superstitious woman in the world--would say that
was an omen: you are destined to be his friend through life."
"As I will be," said the barrister, his tone more earnest than the
occasion seemed to call for.
Lady Hartledon, with a graciousness she was little in the habit of
showing to Mr. Carr, made room for him beside her, and he sat down. The
baby lay on his back, his wide-open eyes looking upwards, good as gold.
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