The Three Brides

tisf

ng, with a trying recurrence, of that unfortunate and excellent German Dauphine

insisted on her seeing the doctor; and had been assured by him that there was nothing amiss, and that if Mrs Miles Charnock could only be roused

ial girl, used to an active life of exertion and usefulness, and trained to all domestic arts, to be set down in a great English household where there was really nothing fo

ad aloud an hour a day, and selected the Lives of the Lindsays, as an unexceptionable and improving book, full of Scottish history, and even with African interest, sh

o free rides through the Bush? And she would generally be alone; for even if Charlie, her nearest approach to an

st innocent; and though the mother was sometimes disposed to be angry, sometimes to laugh at the little shudder and compressi

ter than with the old women here. And there's Cecil's working affair, it would be just the thing to give her an object. I think I can

. She made a quiet complacent show of herself, as one not vain of fine clothes, but used to an affectionate family appreciation of

hoping for a voluntary offer to employ Anne at Willansborough; but Cecil only pitied her for having 'no resources'; and whe

e two, I

to give up one of my times. If I see

do when the S

o not think Anne could ever take my

te-gloved gentleman after another dropped in, but none presumed on a remark; Jenkins announced the carriages; but Rosamond had not appeared, and after an excursion up-stairs, Julius ret

e in so late

revent dinner from being kept waiting; at which the boys made faces, and declared that it was a dodge of his to join Jenny's party in the schoolroom, instead of the solemn dinner; but

s a monstrous hole in my glove, which demands the benevolent fiction of my having torn it by the way. There, one se

nt had set Anne's cheeks aflame, and left Mrs. Poynsett in a startled state of uncertainty, hoping her glance had been mistaken, wonder

n her long sleepless hours, and she used to call it a reversal of the relations of those days when he used to watch

Yes, Lady Tyrrell was there, wonderfully handsome, but her expression strikes me as altered; there is the sort of pathetic look that, as Cec

racted? I fan

ll throw them together. It is unlucky on Frank's accoun

ffice taking him away. How

his way-was absolutely chill and repelling half the evening-throwing herself at the officers fro

ll soon disgust him! Di

y-so quietly, Mrs. Bowater remarked it. As to Rosamond, she was in her na

Jul

his eye. I say, mother," lowering his voice, "can't you give Rosamond a hint about her dress? Cecil says s

l see about it. Rosamond will take

s daughter, and that the cold temperament of the one irritated the warm nature of the other. More than one flash had revealed Rosamond's

pared for the appearance, about noon, of her son Julius, when, coming to what she termed the confidential side of her couch

d not p

f thing. Is it not the way w

in degree-"

n's censorious nonsense, isn't it, mother? Mere folly to think otherwise! I knew you would set my min

lacently, "I grieve, but I must confess th

ed very

s been brought up to;" and as he signed a sort of hurt acquiescence, as

at Colonel Ross's. He is an o

cool. Sometimes advice that ha

k the interfere

m that q

e needful to

ss I could ever have worn, nor have let m

g up, more really angered with his moth

hed the door, and came back to say, "I beg your pardo

having brought them. As he bent down to kiss her, she rallied, and cheerfully said,

. If he disapproved, she would submit to

was no judge: you forget wha

been to yo

what cou

er and sisters to please any woman's finical pr

erybody if she were fit to be seen. Such a tempest Julius had never seen outside a back street in the garrison town. There seemed to be nothing she would not say, and his attempts at soothing only added to her violence. Indeed, there was only one

il to apologize. "My dear," he said, "don't you k

o herself, she did not care about that, but to the mother who had seen her dresses tried on: Julius must tell Raymond so, or take her away to any

sert himself. "Nonsense, Rose, you know better," he said, in a voice of displeasure; but she pouted forth, "I don

oresee plenty of grievances from her; but, Rosie, we must and will not let her come between us and Raymond. You don't know what a brother he has been to me-I hardly think I could have go

ed out, "There then, go down, leave me alone!

n as you are," said Julius, grave

me-choke me!"

e so beneficial, that he summoned resolution to leave her; but he had not the face to appear alone, nor offer fictions to excu

osamond's misdemeanour had so far drawn them together, that Cecil had o

ld butler, who came in while he was cutting cold beef, and to whom he said, "L

enkins watching in jealous expectation of a catastrophe, having no opinion of Mr. Julius's powers as a waiter. He was disappointed. The downfall was deferred till the goal was reached, and was then most sa

he village, where she was exemplary, going into all those more di

old doctor, who had been timid and discouraging; Susan resented the implication that the utmost had not been done for her dear mistress; and Mrs. Poynsett herself, though warmly grateful for Rosamond's affection, was not only nervously unwilling to try experiments, but had an instinctive perception that there was one daughter-in-law to whom her increased locomotion would scarcely be welcome, and by no means wished to make this distaste evident to Raymond. Cecil would not have been so stron

ee to all that," s

's question,"

entir

It Mrs. Venn had appeared

Mr. Venn! My dear, the le

with as a matter of course, do not necessarily denote lack of innate modesty-far less, how they could be confounded with hom

Monday evening showed herself, for a moment, more decolletée, if possible, than before. Mrs.

"it will not happen

ly too t

led it? No less than La

ld she ha

omething about adopting the becoming, and a repetition of-of some insolent praise." And his mother felt his quiver of

to you. Yes, I knew it would right itself, and

is with Lady Tyrrell. She will have it there was malice in inciting her to shock

rary effect upon

too bad for that woman, and

mind, it is as the obstructive old hag, who once stood in her way; and so, w

ms quite to belong to Mrs. Duncombe's set. I sat next her at dinner, and

nder if that is Su

his Christian n

alk in the Square gardens together; but I did not see much of her after I married; and after a go

e the millionaire of the regiment. Just

well," said

of view," said

ut before it has had tim