“Then he is better, I hope?” asked Geneviève.
“He has been very much better,” said Cicely. “But to-day I don’t think he has seemed quite so well. Do you, mother? It is the weather I suppose.”
“He had some letters this morning that worried him a little,” said Mrs. Methvyn. “When you have taken off your things, Geneviève, I would like you to go to your uncle’s room. He will be pleased to see you.”
Colonel Methvyn did not come in to dinner—the two girls and Mrs. Methvyn dined alone. Geneviève went on chattering as merrily as before. She was great on the subject of the fashions, and described the dresses of the ladies at Eastbourne with astonishing minuteness and detail.
“There was one lady,” she proceeded, “who dressed beautifully, but she herself was ‘laide à faire peur.’ She had a good figure though. There was a gentleman there, a friend of Mr. Fawcett’s, who knew her in London. He said she danced so well that one forgot how ugly she was. She was tall—it is nice to be tall for dancing, is it not?” She gave a little sigh, but hastened on again in a moment. “Oh! Cicely,” she exclaimed, “do tell me what you think you will wear at the ball.”
Cicely looked up from her work—she was knitting socks for her father—with astonish ment.
“The ball!” what do you mean, Geneviève??
Geneviève looked frightened. “Did you not know?” she said uneasily. “I thought Mr. Fawcett had written to tell you that” she stopped and seemed to grow more confused, but something in Cicely’s face made her go on—“I thought you knew,” she began again, “that there is to be a ball at Lingthurst next month.”
“No,” said Cicely quietly, “I certainly did not know it.”
She said no more, but in a minute or two went on talking as usual on other subjects, and her mother, understanding her to some extent, followed her example. But Geneviève’s gaiety had received a check, and soon afterwards she said she was tired and would like to go to bed. Mrs. Methvyn kissed her affectionately; Cicely laid down her work, and, notwithstanding Geneviève’s protestations, went upstairs with her to see that everything in her room was in its usual order for her.