‘Miss Landon,’ said Mrs. Adair, her tone slightly stiff.
Sophy made her a curtsey, still mystified.
‘Mr. Stanton has requested the honour of an introduction,’ she said, sounding none too pleased about it—and no wonder, if the gentleman had ignored her daughter in favour of Sophy.
She made no objection, of course—covering her surprise, she thought, very creditably. The introduction was swiftly performed, and Mrs. Adair as swiftly withdrew. Mr. Stanton did not so much as glance at his hostess’s retreating form, dismissing her as thoroughly as he had dismissed her daughter moments before.
But there was no pride or arrogance in his manner. He seemed so entirely unconscious of wrongdoing, as though he had ignored and dismissed them simply because they were unimportant to him. Unimportant! W
