England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Families -- Fiction; Stepmothers -- Fiction
Poor silly Lottie! She grew crimson with pleasure and excitement, pale
with excitement and feeling. What did she know about the young fellow’s
motives? She knew only that he had kept watch at her window, lounging
about for a glimpse of her, a thing which to be sure explains itself;
and that every note she sang seemed to make him happier and happier, and
more and more adoring. The incense was delicious to her. She had never
had it before (except perhaps from poor young Purcell--a nobody! what
did he matter?), and the happiness of flattered vanity and soothed pride
raised her to a pinnacle and climax of soft delight, such as she had
never thought possible. It seemed almost more than Lottie could bear.
Even Lady Caroline was so flattered by the plaudits addressed to her on
the entertainment she had provided for her guests, that a sense of
superior discrimination came over her placid mind, pleasantly exciting
its tranquillity. “Yes, I knew that she was going to have a beautiful
voice,” she said. And she smiled, and accepted the thanks with an
agreeable sense that she had deserved them. As for Rollo Ridsdale, it
was he who got Miss Despard’s shawl and wrapped her in it when the
dreadful moment came, as he said, for her departure. “You have no
carriage; you live on the other side of the way; then you must permit me
to see you to your door,” he said, “and to thank you once more for all
the pleasure you have given me. This will be a white day in my
recollection; I shall begin the dates in my history from the time when I
first heard----”
“Mr. Ashford is going Miss Despard’s way. And, Rollo, your aunt wants
you, I think. We have all been so much delighted that we have forgotten
the progress of time, and Lady Caroline is not very strong. Mr.
Ashford,” said the Dean, “I am sure we may leave to you the privilege of
seeing Miss Despard to her own door.”
“And I am here,” said the Signor. Nevertheless, poor Lottie felt as if
she had stepped suddenly out of heaven to earth again when she found
herself between the musician and the minor canon outside the Deanery
door.
CHAPTER VI.
LAW.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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