Part 10 (1/2)
”Yes,” he admitted coolly ”'Tis for that reason that she now avoids them”
”Oh, Tracy, the poor child!” exclaimed his sister in a sudden fit of pity ”How can you persecute her, if she dislikes you?”
”She does not”
”Not! Then-”
”Rather, she fears ued, for all that I persecute her, as you call it, for her own (and ood But they quit Bath in a few days, and then, nous verrons! ” He rose ”What of Honest dick?”
”Don't call him by that odious name! I will not have it!”
”Odious, my dear? Odious? You would have reason an I called him Dis honest dick”
”Don't! Don't!” she cried, covering her ears
His Grace laughed softly
”Oh, Lavinia, yon riht that sickens a o away!” she implored ”You tease me and tease me until I cannot bear it, and indeed I do not o!”
”I a so, my dear I trust you will have in a measure recovered when next I see you Pray bear my respects to Honto the Honourable Richard”
She stretched out her hand
”Coed ”I shall be better to-morrow! 'Tis only to-day that my head aches till I could shriek with the worry and the pain of it! Co Bath within a day or two But nothing would have given reater pleasure than to comply with your wishes” He kissed her hand punctiliously, and took his leave At the door he paused, and looked back ain and swept out, as Lavinia buried her face in the cushi+ons and burst into tears
It was thus that Richard found her, twenty reat that it in part restored her spirits, and she spent a quiet and, for hi at piquet
In the ht at his wrist
”dicky, dickyI will go home!”
”Go home? What do you mean? Not-”
”Yes, yesWyncham! Why not?”
”My dear, do you mean it?” His voice quivered with joyful surprise, and the cards slipped from his hands
”Yes, I e ht, and my head aches Take me home and I will try to be a better wife! Oh, dicky, have I been tireso? I did not mean to be! Why do you let iving no heed to the cru silks ”I have been a wicked, selfish woman!” she said vehemently ”But indeed I will be better You must not lethis arhtly to hiet you home at Wyncham, I promise you I will finely hector you, sweetheart,”
he said, laughing to conceal his deeper feelings ”I shall make you into a capital housewife!”
”And I will learn to oith a own!” She sprang up and danced to the , Richard?”
”Very charo hoowns frouerite!”
”To make butter in, dear?” he protested
She was not attending
”A diownor shall it be of tiffany with a quilted petticoat? Or both?” she chanted
”dicky, I shall set a fashi+on in country toilettes!”
dicky sighed
CHAPTER VII
INTRODUCING SUNDRY NEW CHARACTERS
NOT twenty minutes' walk from Lady Lavinia's house in Queen Square resided a certain Madam Thompsona ho had lived in Bath for nearly fifteen years With her was staying Miss Elizabeth Beauleigh and her niece, Diana Madam Thompson had been at a seirls, and they had ever afterwards kept up their friendshi+p, occasionally visiting one another, but thy epistles, full of uni only on Miss Elizabeth's side, and on the 's uninteresting and rareat joy to Madaing that she and her niece ht be allowed to pay a visit to her house in Bath, and to stay at least three weeks The good lady was delighted at having her standing invitation at last accepted, and straightrote back a glad assent She prepared her very best bedcha to Bath principally for a change of air and scene after a long and rather trying illness
In due course the two ladies arrived, the elder very ser reat candid brown eyes that looked fearlessly out on to the world, and a tragic mouth that belied a usually cheerful disposition, and hinted at a tendency to look on the gloo with Diana this was, remarked on the sad mouth to Miss Elizabeth, or Betty as she was ht, Diana herself having retired to her room
Miss Betty shook her head darkly and prophesied that her precious Di would one day love some man as no man in her opinion deserved to be loved!
”And she'll have love badly,” she said, clicking her knitting-needles energetically ” I know these temperamental children!”
”She looks so melancholy,” ventured the
”Well there you are wrong!” replied Miss Betty ”'Tis the sunniest-tempered child, and the sweetest-natured in the whole orld, bless her! But I don't deny that she can be miserable Far from it Why, I've known her weep her pretty eyes out over a dead puppy even! But usually she is gay enough”
”I fear this house will be dull and stupid for her,” said Madae were at home to entertain her-”
”My love, pray do not put yourself out! I assure you Diana will not at all object to a little quiet after the life she has been leading in town this winter with her friend's faht of the quiet, she at least s quite contentedly