Claire

It was his habit to pass the time in mental golf when Claire Fenwick was late in keeping her appointments with him.

The fact of the matter was that he had only just finished giving the father of the family his shilling, and he was afraid that Claire had seen him doing it.

'Halloa, Claire darling!' said Lord Dawlish, with a sort of sheepish breeziness.

Claire was looking after the stud merchant, as, grasping his wealth, he scuttled up the avenue.

'I wish,' said Claire, fretfully, leading the way down the grillroom stairs, 'that you wouldn't let all London sponge on you like this.

Until six months before, when he had become engaged to Claire Fenwick, he had found nothing to quarrel with in his lot.

This evidently was one of the days on which Claire was not so sweet-tempered as on some other days.

It was always Lord Dawlish's habit on these occasions to make this excuse for Claire. It was such a satisfactory excuse.

'But, Claire, you know, there are some things--what I mean is, if they like me at Brown's, it's awfully decent of them and all that, but I couldn't take advantage of it to plant a fellow like Breitstein on them.

"You have seen her," said his wife, "but you have no perception of such merit as Claire's."

It was a silly thing to do with me, but it had the advantage that it made me acquainted with Claire de Bellegarde.

Madame de Cintre was her dearest Claire, and her especial admiration but Madame de Cintre had found it impossible to dine with her and Madame de Cintre should for once be forced gently to render tribute to Mrs.