Helen could not now articulate a word, if her life had depended on it. She squeezed Evangeline’s hands, and oh! how she longed to kiss her, but she felt she dare not.
At a glance from Helen, Eva resumed her seat.
The little incident of which Evangeline had been the heroine seemed to assure the guests that they had surmised wrongly, and the two aristocrats at once bent over to Mr. Grahame, and requested, to his dismay, to be introduced to his eldest daughter.
The Duke of St. Allborne sprang to his feet, and cried, with some vivacity—
“Pawmit me, Lindsay and Elsingham, to have that honaw. I have had the vewy gweat playshaw of enjoying the agweeable society of Miss Gwahame on vawious occasions, always with incweasing delight; and in dwawing you together, I feel convinced I shall be confawing on you both a happiness of which at pwesent you have no notion.”
But Mr. Grahame, in a voice scarcely articulate, thanked him, declined his services, and took the office upon himself. He went through the ceremony of introduction with frigid formality, and Helen supported it with a grace and dignity which elevated her in the estimation of the gentlemen to whom she was introduced, although they had yet a misgiving respecting her, from the continued cold silence towards her of every member of her family, save Evangeline.
The Duke began to engage her in conversation, made some remarks respecting the delicate health her appearance betrayed, and was in full career to forget Margaret entirely in his increasing admiration of Helen’s beauty, when once more the door of the room was flung wide, and the butler announced, “The Honorable Lester Vane.”
Helen set her teeth together hard; she drew her form proudly erect, and sat more like a queen than ever.
“Youaw man should have announced the ‘late Honawable Lestaw Vane,’ I think, Gwahame,” exclaimed the young Duke, with a slight laugh.
“I beg your pardon, my lord duke,” returned Vane, calmly, suffering his gaze to wander slowly round the table; “Mr. Grahame was conscious that I should be unable to join until this hour, and kindly consented to waive——”