Instead he was forced to cut both cakes and it was no consolation to find that the one from America was commanding the most attention from his guests.
This was because it consisted not of three tiers but of seven and the bottom one was as large as a cartwheel.
There was certainly nothing refined in its decoration, which consisted of lucky horseshoes, tufts of white heather and a profusion of silver bells. It was surmounted on top by two dolls, one dressed, it seemed to the Duke, entirely in diamonds, the other in a parody of his Regimental uniform.
It was when the cakes were cut and pieces of them were being distributed to the guests that a Toast Master who the Duke had not previously realised was there and who had obviously been imported by Mrs. Vandevilt called for attention.
Speakin
