Annaple met a pleasant smile, and they shook hands, exchanging an observation or two, while a little way off Lady Grosmede was nodding her strong old face at Lady Delmar, and saying, 'Tell your mother I'll soon come and see her, my dear. That's a nice little innocent body, lady-like, and thoroughly presentable. Alwyn Egremont might have done worse.'
'The only wonder is he did not!' returned Lady Delmar. 'They make the best of it here.'
'Very good taste of them. But, now I've seen her, I don't believe there's anything behind. Very hard upon the poor young man, though it was all his doing, his mother says. I congratulate you that it had not gone any farther in that quarter.'
'Oh, dear no! Never dreamt of it. She is May's friend, that's all.'
Nevertheless Lady Delmar made a second descent in person to hurry Annaple away.
'Isn't it disgusting?' said May, catching her stepmother's smile.
'You will see a good deal more of the same kind,' said the Canoness; 'I am afraid more mortification is in store for Mark than he guesses. I wish that girl were more like her mother.'
'Mamma! a girl brought up among umbrella-makers! Just fancy! Why, she has just nothing in her!'
'Don't set Mark against her, May; he might do worse.'
'Her head is a mere tennis ball,' said May, drawing her own higher than ever, 'and no one would know her from a shop girl.'