She heartily wished that Lord Charlesbury were not going away on the morrow, to leave Squires once more intolerable to her.
“Is Lord Charlesbury obliged to go away to-morrow?” she suddenly demanded with great abruptness.
“I suppose so. It’s certainly a pity, but I hope we shall see him again one of these days. He generally comes over once or twice every year.”
“It’s been a very short visit,” said Rose disconsolately.
“It’s not been like a regular shooting-party at all, I’m afraid, my dear. Another year we shall do rather more entertaining, I hope, but, naturally, it was out of the question for us all, just now. However, Diana is staying on for a day or two, I’m glad to say. She’s always so bright.”
“Is she?” said Rose, and then remembered her conversation with Charlesbury, and added in a determined sort of way: “She’s nice and willing, isn’t she? Does she enjoy herself a lot in London?”
“Her mother is very strict about only allowing her a certain number of late nights in the week. But she has a good deal of going out, on the whole, and I’m told that she is a great success everywhere. Men always like her so much.”
Rose felt very much surprised to hear it, but hoped that her silence might be taken as a tribute to the indisputability of Miss Grierson-Amberly’s charms.
“I hope you and she will make friends, my dear. I feel that you have very little companionship of your own age, amongst us all.”
Rose was acutely touched, as she always was by any kindness.