'That is really too ridiculous!' I ejaculated.—'But you will be able to tell your friend or friends that you did not see a love-lorn damsel to-day, Mrs Chichester;' gazing at her with steady calm eyes.
'You certainly don't look a bit love-lorn,' candidly said Marian.
'O no,' chimed in Mrs Chichester. 'If you will pardon the jest, I might say you looked a great deal more as though you had found a lover, than lost one!' with a meaning glance in Robert Wentworth's direction.
'Will you excuse my asking if you had that dress direct from Paris, Miss Haddon?' inquired Marian.
'Paris? No; it came from Madame Michaux,' I replied, happily recollecting that Jane had mentioned that name.
'Oh, that is the same thing; isn't it? She charges enormously; but one is quite sure of having just the right thing from her. I suppose you have all your dresses from her now?'
'No; not all,' I said, smiling at the remembrance of my every-day attire.
'They say brown is to be the new colour: the Duchess of Meck—Meck—— (What's her name, Caroline? those German names are so absurd)—is wearing nothing else but brown at Homburg.'
'I have been wearing brown some time,' I replied, almost laughing outright.
'Some people always contrive to be in advance of the fashions,' she said a little disconcertedly.—'Are they going away already, Caroline; just inquire if the carriage is there, will you?—I see you have drab liveries, Miss Haddon; ours is changed to claret; the Marchioness of'—— Breaking off to make a reply to a few words from the little bride's-maids, who with their father were taking themselves off from the uncongenial atmosphere. 'O yes; went off very nicely indeed; did it not? I wanted them to have the breakfast at Fairview, or at anyrate to have two or three of the men-servants to wait. But the party is small certainly, and everything has been very well contrived. No one is inclined to be very critical at such times. I hope you will be able to come down to Fairview before you return to Cornwall; any time which may suit you best. You need not write; we are always prepared for visitors.'