Eve, who hated Mr. Talboys, and saw through his sneers, bit her lip
and colored, but kept silence.
But Mr. Talboys, unwarned by her flashing eye, proceeded with his
ironical interrogatory, and then it was that Eve, reflecting that both
these gentlemen had done their worst against David, and that
henceforth the battlefield could never again be Font Abbey, decided
for revenge. She stepped forward like an airy sylph, between David and
his persecutor, and said, with a charming smile, "I will explain,
sir."
Mr. Talboys bowed and smiled.
"The reason my brother carries this side-saddle is that it belongs to
a charming young lady--you have some little acquaintance with
her--Miss Fountain."
"Miss Fountain!" cried Talboys, in a tone from which all the irony was
driven out by Eve's coup.
"She begged David to ride her pony home; she would not trust him to
anybody else."
"Oh!" said Talboys, stupefied.
"Well, sir, owing to--to--an accident, the saddle came off, and the
pony ran home; so then David had only her saddle to take care of for
her."
"Why, we escorted Miss Fountain to Royston, and we never saw Mr.
Dodd."
"Ay, but you did not go beyond Royston," said Eve, with a cunning air.
"Beyond Royston? where? and what was he doing there? Did he go all
that way to take her orders about her pony?" said Talboys, bitterly.
"Oh, as to that you must excuse me, sir," cried Eve, with a scornful
laugh; "that is being too inquisitive.
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