“How could I tell you before, Isabel, when you have scarcely given me breathing space?”
“But do you know anything of his former life? Report says he was jilted by a poor insignificant girl, and has been a professed woman-hater ever since. I do believe there he is in his curricle. What a splendid set-out!—do look, Laura. Stay—I shall see him better in the next room.”
And to the next room she flew, so engrossed with Sir Sydney’s splendid driving that she did not perceive that Laura had not accepted the invitation, but had quietly retired to her own room.
“Miss Gascoigne, I trust you will join us to-night. I expect the honour of Sir Sydney Harcourt’s and his accomplished sister’s company. Your manners and appearance are so completely comme il faut that they will, no doubt, be glad to meet you. I do not approve of young ladies hunting after gaiety and dissipation; but it is a great advantage to mix in such society as I can offer you to-night. I shall expect to see you, of course,” and without waiting for a reply—for such a thing as dissent to Miss Brown’s commands was not to be thought of—Miss Brown, or learned Lucretia, in Isabel Morland’s phraseology, majestically floated onwards.
“Laura, my sweet Laura, play over the accompaniment to this luscious ‘Ah te o cara.’ Mr. Givevoice will be here to-night, so I shall not want you; but now, if you will assist me, you will do me such a favour. The music is so mellifluous, it will quite repay you for the trouble.” And Laura complied, regretting most sincerely that a person possessing such real sense and goodness as Miss Wilhelmina should so expose herself to ridicule, but feeling that, young as she was, it was more her duty to bear with folly than reprove it.
“Laura, dear, put the finishing bows to Lucretia’s cap for me, there’s a love. I have such innumerable things to see after and get done before seven o’clock to-night, that I have no time to breathe.”
“You are always busy, my dear Miss Angelica. I wish you would make me of use. I shall finish this in ten minutes; so you had better give me something else to do.”
“You are the best girl in the world, Laura, my dear; but you can’t assist me in household concerns. No one can; they worry me to death—but I don’t grow thin upon them, that’s one comfort. Come, I am glad you are smiling, Laura, my dear. What a pity you are not more merry. By-the-bye, you may help me very much—I shall never get through the tea-making all by myself.”
“Let me take it off your hands entirely. I will with pleasure.”
“Thank you—thank you, my dear; but nothing would go right if I were not there too, depend upon it. If there is not Molly only going now to dust the rooms—the lazy huzzy!” and off trotted Miss Angelica, to scold and dust by turns.