“She has given up the management of all matters of society to me,” said Cecil with dignity; “you may reckon on me.”
“No hope of the Bowaters, of course,” said Mrs. Duncombe.
“Miss Bowater is coming to stay with us,” volunteered Cecil.
“To be near that unlucky Life Guardsman manqué,” said Mrs. Duncombe.
“Come, I’ll not have honest Herbert abused,” said the other lady. “He is the only one of the Bowaters who has any go in him.”
“More’s the pity, if he can’t use it. Is his sister coming to help the Reverend Julius to drill him?”
“On Mrs. Poynsett’s account too, I fancy,” said Lady Tyrrell; “Jenny Bowater is her amateur companion. Indeed, I believe it was no slight disappointment that her sons’ appreciation did not quite reach the pitch of the mother’s.”
“Indeed!” asked Mrs. Duncombe; “I thought there had been a foolish affair with poor young Douglas.”
“Celà n’empêche pas. By the bye, have you finished Fleurange?”
“Oh, you are quite welcome to it. It is quite as goody as an English tale in one volume.”