"If Mr. Ashton will honour his own house with his presence this day week, he will have an excellent opportunity of meeting Mr. Leigh," said Mrs. Ashton with a bow.
"My dearest Josephine, your friend, Mr. Ashton, will do nothing of the kind. He will not add another to your collection of monsters."
"That's a very heartless and rude speech, father."
"And I look on it as distinctly personal," said Hanbury, "for I attend regularly."
"I have really very little to do with the matter," said Mrs. Ashton. "Mr. Leigh is Dora's thrall."
The girl coloured and looked reproachfully at her mother, and uneasily at Hanbury. It would be much more pleasant if the conversation shifted away from Leigh.
"He is going to model her for Pallas-Athena."
"Mother, the poor man did not say that."
"No; he did not say it, but he meant it, Dora."
"Oh, he is a sculptor, too!" cried Mr. Ashton with a laugh. "Is there any end to this prodigy's perfections and accomplishments? But, I say, Dora, seriously, I won't have any folly of that kind. I won't have you give sittings to any one."