"Madam, the company are arriving; two carriages have set down their loads already."
Ada had been too long in society for this announcement to confuse or hurry her, had no other cause of excitement arisen; as it was, the superb repose, usual to her manner, was disturbed.
"Who are they? have you seen them before?" she asked.
"Yes, madam, often."
"No stranger—no gentleman who never came before—you are certain?"
"None, madam."
There was something more in this than the usual anxiety of a hostess to receive her guests.
"I am insane to loiter here," she murmured, drawing on her gloves; "he might come and I not there; for the universe I would not miss his first look. The bouquet, Rosanna, and handkerchief—where is my handkerchief?"
"Is this it, ma'am?" said Julia, raising a soft mass of gossamer cambric and costly lace from the carpet, where it had fallen.
This drew Ada's notice once more to the child.