"And so do I."
"You, Mr. Haveloc!"
"Yes, I shall come in for the narrative. Perhaps you do not know that I shall return to Ashdale before you do."
"Yes, my uncle told me so," said Margaret, with something like a sigh.
Now, nothing in general so much offends a man as not appearing extremely delighted with his society; but Mr. Haveloc, perhaps from the novelty of the thing, seemed rather pleased than otherwise.
"You don"t look so glad as you ought," he said, with a smile, "which is rather ungrateful on your part; for to me Ashdale would lose very much of its attraction if you were absent."
It was enough to make her blush, such a marked compliment, and from such a person; and, to heighten her confusion, there was George Gage still staring at her on the other side of the table, as only a military man can stare.
"I suppose," said Mr. Haveloc, "the truth is, that you think you cannot tell Mr. Grey your little secrets when I am present; that is why you wish me away."
Margaret had not said she wished him away, but she did not contradict him.
"Of course I should not tell my uncle many things before you," she said, "because little circ.u.mstances, which are new to me and strange to him, now that he never goes out, would seem very trifling to a third person."
"Don"t you know," said Mr. Haveloc, "that first impressions are always interesting? You must not therefore prevent my hearing yours."
Miss Gage was rising at this moment, and Margaret availed herself of the move to avoid giving a reply.
When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, they gathered round the fire, and began to discuss the amus.e.m.e.nts of the next day. Margaret, who was standing by Elizabeth Gage, looked earnestly in her face to see whether she could really enter into conversation of so trifling a nature as that which was going on among the ladies.
Yes,--Elizabeth patiently heard Miss Lawson Smith"s complaints of her c.r.a.pe ball dress, which had not been trimmed with roses of the proper tint, and gave as much comfort as she could under the circ.u.mstances; and she endeavoured to decide upon a bonnet for Miss Conway, when that young lady professed to be unable to bring the matter to a conclusion for herself.
"Recollect, my dear Lucy," said she, "that if the Fates grant us a fine day to-morrow, it will be made up of a bright sun and a keen north wind; the only advantage of an airy toilet, is to make you look blue upon the course, and send you home with a severe cold."
The prospect of a cold did not seem to frighten Lucy, but she was keenly alive to the disadvantages of looking blue.
Harriet Conway looking up from the footstool upon which she was seated close to the fire, remarked that, "her costume gave her no sort of trouble, as she was to ride on horseback to the races."
Margaret looked at her with some surprise and no little envy, thinking what a bold, accomplished horsewoman she must be.
"How do you feel to-night, darling?" asked her mother.
"Oh! very comfortable," said Harriet, leaning her head on her mother"s lap, as Lady Conway took the arm-chair beside her; "quite well as long as I have nothing to do that I don"t like."
"How I wish that you could go to the ball to-morrow, dearest," said her mother.
"Thank you," said Harriet, "but that is one of the things I don"t like; besides, after being on horseback all the morning, I shall be glad to go to bed as soon as I have seen you all off in your finery."
"Such a pity, so well as you dance the Mazourka," said Lucy Conway, "for one meets such nice people at this ball. I really think if you took proper care--"
"Oh! we will run no risks," said Lady Conway, anxiously, "you coughed at dinner, I observed."
"It was the pepper, _mamma mia_," said Harriet; "but I have no intention of going to the ball. Bessy! send me over that pretty little thing by your side. I have a mind to talk to her."
"What say you," asked Elizabeth smiling, "will you venture?"
Margaret complied with a little timidity in her manner.
"Why, you don"t mean to say you are afraid of me," said Harriet taking Margaret"s hand in her long, slender fingers, "I would excuse you, if I were a man. Well now, are you fond of riding?"
"I am just going to learn," said Margaret "it is the thing of all others I wish for."
"You ought to have begun younger," said Harriet, "but we will see what we can make of you. What is the colour of your riding-habit?"
"Blue," replied Margaret.
"True blue," said Harriet looking intently into the fire; "how do you like Hubert Gage?"
"I don"t see how that follows," said Margaret smiling; "but I like him very well."
"Good," said Harriet; "I see it is not a tender subject. You know the Gages are relations of ours. Are you not, Bessy?"
"Connexions, my dear Harriet; but I am quite ready to acknowledge the relationship."
"And is this your first ball?" said Harriet, turning again to Margaret.
"Yes."
"Don"t you feel very nervous, and pleased, and frightened, and impatient?"
"Not very," said Margaret. "I wish very much to go, and I know Bessy and--and--two or three people."
"Are you engaged yet?"
"No. But if I do not dance, I shall be so amused with looking on, that it will be no disappointment to me."
"Very modest on your part; but I hear the gentlemen coming, so I must leave this charming footstool, or I shall be accused of fifty things.
Here in this corner is room for two, so let us continue our conversation."
"Everything is so new to me," said Margaret, as she surveyed the room lit up with cl.u.s.ters of lamps, the heavy crimson curtains, the splendid gilt furniture, and the groups of gentlemen standing about the lady"s chairs, drinking coffee, "this seems to me a very grand party; but perhaps it appears to you nothing."
"An ordinary dinner party," said Harriet; "perhaps they run rather large at this house. Uncle Gage, have you quite made up your book? Because I shall be happy to offer you odds upon Rory O"More."
Captain Gage who was pa.s.sing with Sir Evan Conway, stopped short before the two girls.
"I will have nothing to do with you," he said to Harriet, "you are far too deep for me. I believe you are hand in glove with Lord Raymond"s groom."
Sir Evan and Captain Gage both laughed very much at this charge.
Harriet with a deepened colour protested against having ever seen the groom, or the horse.
Captain Gage turned to Margaret, and asked if she had been taking lessons in the science of book-making; adding, "that as she must be a novice as yet, he was willing to risk a pair of gloves with her."
Margaret said "she was not going to bet at all; that Bessy had advised her not."