“Good gracious, Mary, why not?”
“I am in your cousin’s house under false pretences,” Mary said bitterly. “She would not take me to these parties if she knew the truth.”
“Well, she don’t know it,” replied Juliana. “Do come, my dear: Vidal will be there.”
“I have no desire to meet his lordship,” said Mary, and would say no more.
Mme. de Charbonne, the most easy-going of dames, made no more objection to Mary’s remaining at home than she had made to her sudden arrival two days before. Mary had told her, in desperation, that she was under the necessity of earning a living for herself, and it was plain that madame — who upon hearing this news had regarded her young guest as a kind of rara avis — considered that balls must certainly be out of place for indigent young females. Upon being asked if she could recommend Miss Challoner to a suitable family she had said vaguely that she would bear it in mind, which did not sound particularly hopeful.
Having seen Juliana arrayed for her party in a rose-pink taffeta gown trimmed with chenille silver and spread over immense elbow-hoops; her hair dressed in her favourite Gorgonne style by no less a personage than M. le Gros himself; her person scented with cassia, Miss Challoner bade her farewell and prepared to spend a quiet evening in one of the smaller salons. She intended to apply herself seriously to the problem of escape, but in this she was frustrated by the appearance, not half an hour after Madame de Charbonne’s and Juliana’s departure, of Mr. Frederick Comyn.
She had already met Mr. Comyn once since their unfortunate encounter at Dieppe, and she supposed that he was apprised of her situation. His manner was extremely respectful, and she thought that she could detect a certain grave sympathy in his gaze.
When the lackey ushered him into the salon she rose, and curtsied to him, and perceived as she did so that his firm mouth was rather tightly compressed. He bowed to her, and said, more as a statement than a question: “You are alone, ma’am.”
“Why yes,” she answered. “Were you not informed at the door, sir, that Miss — that Madame is gone out to-night?”
Mr. Comyn said with a touch of gloom: “Your first premise was correct, ma’am. It is not Madame de Charbonne that I came hoping to see, but Miss Marling. I was indeed informed that she was gone out, but I ventured to inquire for yourself, ma’am, believing that you would be able to oblige me by divulging Miss Marling’s present whereabouts.”