Mrs. Dorriman, Volume 3 of 3

et; indeed, the gravity of her young sister, while, of course, to

d not the power of throwing herself into the sorrows of any one, even of a sister, whose one fault it was, that she had allowed her clear instinc

uit Lady Lyons, who was one of the women who imagine that, whatever happens to belong to another,

any discomfort rather than disturb her. But the thought that she was going to join the world in London and form one

but it was satisfactory that, as she cared for money and Margaret did not, she should have it, and Ma

ivers," said Lady Lyons, very langui

that," said Grace, with a

n she has never seen it?" asked Lady Lyons,

id Grace, as she sailed along the

fraid of being cold, she took a bearskin of some standing, a roll of rugs, and a bottle of lavender-water. S

with a bang that very ne

have such a languid circulation, and I am ordere

cally closed," said Grace very coolly; "be as stuffy as you

In a moment or two she began to cough, a short coug

e to send to Wandsworth for Mr

ir is what you want, Lady Lyons

r Miss

said Grace laughing and putting up a little bit of window. She did not want to qua

nothing but the best rooms, and all the little arrangements put forward i

said Grace, with a grand air, as t

ut being seen till she was what she called properly dressed, and she certainly knew w

f society, and poor Lady Lyons

eople, Lady Lyons; some

ons ref

murmured; "yes, there is a very kind

ng for the book, and turning over th

yons; "but, dear me, it is so stupid of me.

evidently not been correspondin

r Miss

" said Grace, "and I wil

d Lady Lyons. "Yes, P

an aggravated tone, "and they live a

not

used to know one of the girls a little, the daughter of Sir Jacob

h you?" asked Lady Lyo

nd we went there sometimes, my sister and I, because our fa

ce, and say you have come into a fortune and are here. A beg

rtune is hardly worth speaking about, but I will call, an

med to her to be completely overcome. She took heart now and went off on her own account to see a d

ted or what she anticipated-she wa

d, and wrote on the top "In London

reme simplicity. She apologized for her mother and brought her card, and an

her elaborate white toilette and t

he said, discontent

her "young friend's" dress, but who was weighing in her own m

d of having an appeal made to her pocket, and she was one of many who mak

t for her, saying with

rst appearance as my c

objection, but she made man

like, my dear

of her is that she is much too nice; to be sincere, she alwa

ed children," observe

of grown-up people. She and Margaret had always unfavourabl

egan Lady Lyons, "that must

er son. She has no son. There were two or three

, mostly elderly; a few girls, and the men might be counted on their fingers. Papers were handed

th Lady Lyons and Grace, advised them to sit on the right, said they would f

here, or, if there, G

ing, seated on very small cane chairs, and hearing speeches from men and women more

ntribute largely to the revenue in many ways and yet cannot give a vote, did not give her a pang. She knew that some women had made the subject ridiculous; sh

pered Lady Lyons; "I am so afraid of b

ce, satirically; "that is the very last t

te suffocating. All at once Grace gave a little

! Salts! Salvolatile!" shout

room, where Lady Lyons gladly remained with her, in a

n to see how Grace was, and was overw

r thing,"

great," said Lady L

y decidedly. "The ventilation is admirab

too much awed t

ou feel now?" said Lady Ly

ady Penryn, I must apologise for disturbing you all. What funny thin

yn coughe

of a meeting is to ve

not mind my saying that it a

; and it should interest the moneyed

of the moneyed class," laughed Grace; "

look at her with redoubled inter

our wealth wisely. Now will you not have some

re they left. Lady Penryn came up to Grace with a

old times," she s

illed the promise of her youth;" and Grace noted that she

in, I trust," she said

ce, quietly. "When you return our

good-bye. Sweet

" mimicked Grace, as th

ush!-some one m

hink we had better purs

lf-an-hour last night, and I cannot recall his Christian name. It may be Charles, bu

od deal of petulance. They had been three weeks in

suddenly caught sight of Sir Albert Gerald. She

ame up to her. She was so near Margar

tea. This is Lady Lyons. I want particul

-but I leave town to-morro

ng will find me clothed and in my right mind, in

he said, stepping bac

he went on from this idea to think of Margaret. What a curious difference there was between the

ce in a flutter of spirits, a huge Peera

he first conventional phrases to be over; the inquiries about Margaret were answered so indifferen

something for me," she said, with mo

" he said,

can if y

?" he

She is your aunt. She is also going to give a ball. Could y

y dear old lady and I could ask her. She

e, laughing and colouring a little. "You do not know how I long to go to just one swell ball,

ery natural you should wish to see it all for yourself. I am afrai

Grace clapped her hands with

, and I find every one very kind. I like to meet pleasant

have never in all my life bee

w many people it is very dull looking on and seeing others dancing and talking.

d," said Grace, enthusiastically, "and I r

ng anything for you, Miss R

ed I do. It is

tally? I got into her railway-carri

tevens escorted her till all the change

Mr. St

affairs. I thought you might have seen him at Wands

lower voice. "Miss Rivers, do you think s

re. I think she rather nursed her sorrow at Wandsworth. Then she took to going t

away all h

keep even one hundred pounds a year, nor a hundr

ad!" he sai

ce said, in a

coloured,

n a character we ad

is very co

hould be," he answered, earnestly; "I am

my sister is too good for me. I admire her, but she is so

is quiet voice; "to live with some

f pain in her voice; throwing off any feeling weighing with her

ne broke so much real feeling that he knew she spoke much more lightly than she felt. She was Margaret's sister, and he would do his utmost for her amus

handed to Lady Lyons; and her first idea

se the Duchess could not ask me witho

as most deep

same room with a duchess be

fferent from other people,"

own-I really cannot afford it," and

ty, I will find the gown," said

ing days, and Grace was quite enchanted, though she professed t

being read to sleep; indeed, with a vague idea that Grace intended to make herself useful to her, she had said something about the reading, and the peculiarities of her maid's pronunciation, but Grace was too

it for an indefinite number of hours was not amusing; still the thoughts o

rnoon, but for a well-founded conviction that, if she did, she would in all probability not get up again; but

ence making her punctual. She had a v

lves very nearly the first, and qui

lady held out her hand-asked the black and white gentleman doubling himself in two before her to

and being entertained by the talk going on between a plain clever looking girl, with a quantity of

," said the eldest maiden, who had on a crushed looking dress, and who

, she never can say no. You cannot conceive

akes he

she has a big house, and can give them a good sup

ls that she marches them up, whether they like it or not, and introduces them straight off. I assure you she

ry discreet whisper, "what does she mea

nd?" said Grace, impatiently; "

Lyons drew a ve

As a rule, people wore gowns that had seen the brunt of the season-no one was very smart except as regarded jewels. A great many pe

ll at once, there was a sudden stream of people, the rooms filled all at once, and dancing began. Bu

air. She did not know a soul, and nobody looked at her or noticed her in any way. Dance after dance

yons f

e said, huffily; "and what an uncomfortable sofa!

very nea

do

re-passed, looking along the benches, sliding behind the crowd, which seemed to

ed man; they approached, and her heart beat high with hope; thi

dispelled. The tall man bowed

to persuade her to try this valse;" and without seeing Grace (unless, as she thou

errible to her, but to sit for a whole evening behind the backs (and very ample backs) of sundry dowagers, who either prefe

prised at the way he glided through the d

s practice which she had never had, and this little man danced abominably. He had all pos

t out of nobody's way. Grace's ears got red and tin

ly worsted, she stopped and gazed at the soft, gliding motio

le moving with an inexpressibly gracefu

saw at last one face she knew, she s

ly bowed and swung

yes, and, turning t

ll. Will you take

ident want of appreciation or his dancing, that he made no effort to persua

e, Lady Lyons;

t. I declare, sitting on this hard bench and doing penance, make

supper without a

-several people have do

s stopped by Sir Albert Gerald, who brought a young

saw you suffering martyrdom with poor little Bo

stored immediately by this change in her prospects of

u want to have supper? Oh! I see, the old lady does. Come along, Gerald; we will have supper all toge