"Trust me, Lady Southbourne, you shall have my influence, and Antonia owes us so much. I hardly think she will reject so much happiness."
"Thank you a thousand times."
At this moment other guests began to arrive, but where was Antonia and the great man, and where were the Hamiltons? Happily Sir Evas was working hard and making everybody welcome regardless of their place in the peerage.
Edward Lang and his father came in time, belying the fears of Lady Southbourne, and Lady Carew and her correct husband followed. An Honourable or two, and a Colonel and his wife, made up the party of people worthy of meeting each other. Toney had only begged for the Hamiltons, Mr. Hales and Lewis Waycott, but this latter Lady Dove had refused as "that tiresome Miss Waycott would have to be included." For the concert everybody was coming, and a supper was to end this grand party.
But Toney was too much occupied to give a thought to the county magnates. Rose, who came to help her to put on her white dress, was not allowed to stay long.
"I'm all right, Rose; I want you to go to the Miss Hamiltons' room and beg them to come here before going down. I've got them some lovely flowers."
"There's some come for you too, Miss Toney," said Rose, holding out a lovely bunch of white lilies. "It was left at the back door, and was specially to be given to you."
"Oh!" exclaimed Toney. "How lovely; I wonder who sent them. You see, I haven't a young man, Rose."
"Cook said as how you ought to have one, Miss Toney; specially you being so rich now."
Toney paused as she held the flowers lovingly; she always had reverenced flowers. Oh, dear! even the servants associated money with love. It was dreadful! Then she resolutely thrust away thoughts of self, and looked at her two bunches of roses. Then, pinning in her lilies, she waited a little anxiously. Time was flying. She had arranged with the footman to call Mr. Weston at the last moment, and she must get the Hamiltons down before he came. There was a knock at the door, and Jeanie Hamilton stood in the doorway, a vision of beauty in a soft cloud of pale blue silk and chiffon, whilst Maud looked nearly as much transformed in rose.