"I heard that there was. She came and took you and the brougham all about London. And there was a row with Lady Selina. I heard of it."
"But that had nothing to do with my going to your party."
"Well, no; why should it? She's a nasty woman, that Baroness Banmann. If we can't get on here in England without German Baronesses and American she doctors, we are in a bad way. You shouldn't have let them drag you into that lot. Women's rights! Women are quite able to hold their own without such trash as that. I'm told she's in debt everywhere, and can't pay a shilling. I hope they'll lock her up."
"She is nothing to me, Mrs. Jones."
"I hope not. What was it then? I know there was something. He doesn't object to Captain De Baron; does he?"
"Object to him! Why should he object to Captain De Baron?"
"I don't know why. Men do take such fancies into their heads. You are not going to give up dancing;—are you?"
"Not altogether. I'm not sure that I care for it very much."
"Oh, Lady George; where do you expect to go to?" Mary could not keep herself from laughing, though she was at the same time almost inclined to be angry with the old lady's interference. "I should have said that I didn't know a young person in the world fonder of dancing than you are. Perhaps he objects to it."
"He doesn't like my waltzing," said Mary, with a blush. On former occasions she had almost made up her mind to confide her troubles to this old woman, and now the occasion seemed so suitable that she could not keep herself from telling so much as that.