icked jaws of the Arlington shark!"

CHAPTER XXIX

ENEMY'S COUNTRY

Duly Patsy found the pleasure of her company requested at Raincy House,
a pleasant residence overlooking the Green Park, of which indeed, in the
previous reign, the few tall trees of its garden had formed part.
Occasionally, too, Louis continued to spend some time with Patsy, though
less than formerly, till the evening of the great ball at Hertford
House.

To this most fashionable event Patsy was going with the Lady Lucy for a
chaperon. She had never been to any of the Regency set functions, and
this was as much an affair of the Regent as if it had taken place at
Carlton House.

The Princess Elsa could not go, or at least would not. But Prince Eitel
had obtained an invitation through his embassy, and looked forward to a
long evening of dancing and sitting out with Patsy. He argued, quite
convincingly, that since Patsy was wholly unknown in Regency circles,
she might expect to be left a good deal to herself. But his conclusion
was wrong--first, because there were a good many, who, like Louis de
Raincy, had a foot in both camps, and for the others, especially such as
had heard much talk of Patsy, the charm of the unknown and unexpected
was strong.

Many were the young men, therefore, who forsook the trains of Mrs.
Fitzherbert, of Miss Golding, Lady Bunyip, the Countess of Carment, and
Mrs. Arlington herself to be introduced to Patsy. Louis himself was
compelled, much against his will, to make some of these presentations.
Captain Laurence, having incautiously admitted that he had some slight
acquaintance with the young beauty and her chaperon, found himself
victimized by half a regiment at a time. Patsy soon had partners in
plenty, and the Prince Eitel, who had looked forward to a pleasant
tete-a-tete, retired to a corner from which he gloomed more and more
murkily. He folded his arms and regarded the dancers with assassinating
glances.

But Patsy wrote a hieroglyphic of her own before half-a-dozen of the
dances, especially those just then coming into fashion, the waltz and
the Bohemian polka _a deux temps_. Then, having assured her position,
she began her struggle with the Arlington. She had never seen the lady
before, and even now she did not find her antipathetic. Mrs. Arlington
proved to be a big, blonde, jolly-looking woman, abundant in charms,
with the easiest manner and the most laughing eyes in the room. She
absolutely refused to