Lady Hampton smiled.
"You must have your little bit of sentiment, Elinor, but you are too sensible to let it interfere with your happiness. How are you getting on with that terrible Pauline? I do dislike that girl from the very depths of my heart."
Lady Darrell shrugged her delicate shoulders.
"There is a kind of armed neutrality between us at present," she said. "Of course, I have nothing to fear from her, but I cannot help feeling a little in dread of her, aunt."
"How is that?" asked Lady Hampton, contemptuously. "She is a girl I should really delight to thwart and contradict; but, as for being afraid of her, I consider Frampton, the butler, a far more formidable person. Why do you say that, Elinor?"
"She has a way with her—I cannot describe it—of making every one else feel small. I cannot tell how she does it, but she makes me very uncomfortable."
"You have more influence over Sir Oswald than any one else in the world; if she troubles you, why not persuade him to send her away?"
"I dare not," said Lady Darrell; "besides, I do not think he would ever care to do that."
"Then you should be mistress of her, Elinor—keep her in her place."
Lady Darrell laughed aloud.