“Mary quickly divested herself of her mantle and threw it about the bare shoulders of the disdainful lady.”
“Where have I seen that face before?” Lady Glencairn asked herself nervously, looking closely into Mary’s flushed, innocent face, that reminded her so guiltily of Lady Nancy Gordon herself.
Mary quickly divested herself of her mantle and threw it about the bare shoulders of the disdainful lady, who hastily drew the large hood over her elaborate court wig, entirely concealing it within its voluminous folds.
With a quick careless word of thanks to Mary, she walked to the door, and calling to John, who was quietly turning the key in Robert’s door, to show her the way out, she swiftly left the room, and with wildly beating heart, passed her uncle at the outer door, and mingled her presence with the stream of gallant courtiers and laughing, gayly-dressed ladies that wended its boisterous way along the crowded thoroughfare.
CHAPTER XIV
When Mary found herself alone she sat down pensively in the big leather chair, feeling very sad and thoughtful. Of course she trusted Robert absolutely, but how could he really love such an ignorant little country girl like herself, when there were so many grand, rich, beautiful ladies surrounding him all the time and suing for his favors, even seeking him out in his own rooms? But her face brightened as she thought of what John had told her. “It isna’ his fault if the women lose their hearts over him,” he had said, and in her heart she felt she could not blame anyone for loving Robbie. She rose and softly approached his door. Then she paused. No, she would wait till he came and found her himself. But she did wish he would hurry and finish dressing before Mrs. Dunlop came back. She strolled aimlessly about the room looking with listless eyes at the collections of souvenirs and bric-a-brac which filled the mantels and covered the tables. She noted with wonder the profusion of ladies’ gloves, ’kerchief, scarfs, a slipper or two and a motley collection of other articles littering the table. She picked up a beautiful pink mask and idly turned it over; on the back she read, “Dropped by Lady Nancy at the Charity Ball given in honor of the Prince of Wales.” She put it down, her lips trembling. He must prize it very highly, she thought with a pang of jealousy; but as she read the various inscriptions on the back of a number of the others, she smiled and told herself what a silly she was. Of course he couldn’t be in love with all the owners of those many favors. She picked up the mask again and held it before her eyes. How funny to cover one’s face in such a manner, she thought. She fastened the elastic behind her ear, and with a woman’s curiosity wondered how she looked in it. She quickly spied the large cheval mirror in the cabinet. “How funny I do look,” she said to herself with a little amused laugh, as she caught sight of her reflection. “Nobody would ever know me.” As she drew closer to the mirror in pleased wonder her dancing eyes slowly wandered from the top of the glittering coil of her golden hair, dwelt for an instant in blushing modesty on the gleaming, bare shoulders, and rested in loving, blissful content on her simple trailing robe of ivory-tinted embroidered silk. She looked angelically lovely as she stood there innocently admiring her winsome reflection.
“Is that really the Highland Mary who used to wander barefooted through the glens and vales, the simple dairymaid who made butter for Colonel Montgomery?” she asked herself dreamily. “Am I awake, I wonder? How Souter Johnny would open his eyes if he could only see me noo in this beautiful gown, carrying a fan an’ wi’ my hair done up high.” She laughed gleefully but softly at the thought. “Wouldna’ they be proud to see me such a grand lady.” She walked stiffly across the room with all the dignity she could command, her chin held high and taking quick little pleased glances over her shoulder at her reflection. It was Mary’s first long gown, and it was not to be wondered at, when in turning quickly around a chair she easily became entangled in her train, and with a little frightened gasp she suddenly found herself on her knees endeavoring to extricate her feet from the clinging mass of silk and linen in which they were enmeshed. Finally she succeeded in regaining her feet, but not until she had with extreme care seated herself did she breathe a sigh of relief. She eyed her train ruefully. “If I should fall doon before all the great people at the ball, I should be so ashamed,” she said, sighing dismally. “They would all laugh at me. But Robert says I am nicer than anyone in all the world.” She reveled in that thought an instant, then her face lengthened. “But I ken there is a difference, a great difference; I am only a simple country lass without any learnin’ whatever, while Lady Nancy is——” she rose suddenly as a thought occurred to her, her hands clasped tightly together. “Suppose he should grow ashamed of his ignorant little country wife,” she whispered with trembling lips; “it would break my heart in twain.”