A Night of Gaiety by Barbara Cartland

their table immediately.
    Davita looked round wide-eyed, hoping that if she never had the chance of coming here again, she would always remember what it looked like.
    The fourth member of the party was a fair-haired young man who, she thought as they were driving there in Lord Mundesley’s very comfortable carriage, seemed rather stupid.
    However, she learnt he was the son of a Duke and his name was Lord William Tetherington.
    He was obviously very enamoured of Violet and never took his eyes from her as she sat opposite him.
    The next table was empty and it remained so until they had almost finished their meal.
    Then as Lord Mundesley lit a cigar and sipped a glass of brandy, Romano escorted a tall, dark man to the empty table.
    He was alone and therefore sat down on the sofa to look round him in what Davita thought was a somewhat contemptuous way, as if he thought the place was not good enough for him.
    At the same time, he was extremely good-looking, and he had an air of authority which Davita somehow expected an important English gentleman would show, even though she had seen very few of them.
    Then she realised that while she was staring at the newcomer, Lord Mundesley had stiffened and there was a frown between his eye-brows.
    He had been very genial until then, making them laugh and paying Violet extravagant compliments, though at the same time Davita realised he was continually looking at her in a manner which made her feel shy.
    T hen she heard Lord William say:
    “ Congratulations, Vange! I thought your horse would win, so I backed it heavily!”
    D avita gave a little start.
    N ow she realised that the newcomer was the Marquis of Vange, whom Lord Mundesley hated so violently and had disparaged several times during supper.
    A s if the Marquis was suddenly aware of who was at the next table, he replied to Lord William:
    “ I am afraid you cannot have got a very good price, as it was favourite.” Then, turning to Violet, he said: “Good-evening! I was thinking tonight when I watched you on the stage that I have seldom seen you look lovelier!”
    “ Thank you,” Violet replied.
    D avita was surprised to see that after all she had said about him, she showed no animosity towards the Marquis, and in fact she gave him her hand and looked at him coquettishly from under her mascaraed eye-lashes.
    T he Marquis turned towards Lord Mundesley, and, seeing the scowl on his face, he said with a mocking smile:
    “ I suppose, Mundesley, you expect me to apologise for beating you by a head?”
    “ I have my own opinions as to how that was possible,” Lord Mundesley replied disagreeably.
    “ Are you suggesting that either I or my jockey was breaking the rules?” the Marquis enquired.
    N ow there was a hard note in this voice that was unmistakably a challenge.
    A s if he realised he had gone too far, Lord Mundesley said quickly:
    “ No, of course not! I was naturally disappointed.”
    “ Naturally!”
    T here was no doubt, from the expression on the Marquis’s face, that he was well aware of Lord Mundesley’s feelings.
    T hen he saw Davita, and she sensed that in some strange way his eyes took in every detail of her appearance and he was surprised that she was so badly dressed.
    A waiter was at his side, waiting for his order, and he turned to take the menu in his hand.
    “ Damn! He would be sitting next to us!” Lord Mundesley said in a low voice to Violet.
    T hen, as if he thought he had been indiscreet, he deliberately addressed Lord William in honeyed tones, as if to bridge over the uncomfortable moment.
    T o Davita it was all rather fascinating and like seeing a play at the Theatre.
    A s the Marquis sat alone eating his supper and making no effort to speak to them again, it was as if his very presence brought a feeling of constraint to their party.
    V iolet had just begun to point out some celebrities in the room when an extremely beautiful young woman, whom Davita realised she had seen in the same dressing-room as