Oldfield: A Kentucky Tale of the Last CenturyBanks, Nancy Huston
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Oldfield: A Kentucky Tale of the Last Century
Banks, Nancy Huston
Kentucky -- Fiction
It was quite as much a part of Oldfield manners to accept the
refreshment as to offer it. Miss Judy took her glass of cider and sipped
it daintily, saying how nice it was, yet managing while doing this to
make it quite plain that the intruder was meant to feel that _he_ had no
share in the sweet graciousness extended to her hostess. The eyes of the
two young people met involuntarily, and although Doris, coloring,
dropped her eyes in confusion, Lynn saw the sudden dimpling of her
cheek. It was the second time they had looked at each other; Doris had
given him one startled, fleeting glance, with a frightened exclamation
and a hurried dropping of skirts, when she had first seen him standing
in front of the passage, looking at her as she danced. He now found no
opportunity to speak to her. Miss Judy arose to take Doris away as soon
as courtesy would allow her to do so without seeming to slight Mrs.
Beauchamp's cider. She was ever more careful of the feelings of her
inferiors than of her equals, if that were possible. She was quite
determined, nevertheless, to withdraw at once. The lesson might be
resumed another day, she said to Monsieur Beauchamp, gently but firmly,
adding that Miss Wendall's mother and uncle were doubtless expecting
her. And this Miss Judy said loftily, almost haughtily, in a tone
calculated to inform the young gentleman that Miss Wendall's mother and
uncle were personages to be reckoned with. As Miss Judy left her seat,
Doris also arose and started to get her hat, which was hanging against
the wall. Lynn Gordon eagerly sprang up and took it down and handed it
to her. He had no thought, however, of accepting his dismissal, when
Miss Judy, after taking leave of the dancing-master and his wife with a
grand little air which puzzled the worthy pair exceedingly, merely
inclined her head stiffly in his direction. Instead, he coolly went
before her and Doris to the gate, and, after holding it open till they
had passed out, calmly followed them, carefully taking his place by Miss
Judy's side, and away from Doris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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