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They are mostly the same sort as Lady Katherine, looking as good as gold; but one woman, Lady Verningham, Lady Katherine's niece, is different, and I liked her at once. She has lovely clothes, and an exquisite figure, and her hat on the right way. She has charming manners, too, but one can see she is on a duty visit.
Lord Robert said he would, but he added, "Miss Travers would never come out before she said she was in too deep mourning." He seemed aggrieved. "I am going to sit in the back of the box and no one will see me," I said. "And I do love music so." "We had better let Lady Verningham know at once then," said Mr. Carruthers. Lord Robert announced he was going there now, and would tell her. I knew that.
"Yes," I said, and oh, it is too humiliating to write! I felt my cheeks get crimson at the mention of Lord Robert's name. What could she have thought? Can anything be so young-ladylike and ridiculous! "He came to the opera with us the night before last," I continued. "Mr. Carruthers had a box, and Lady Verningham and I went with them."
Finally, when I felt I should do something desperate, a footman came to say Lady Verningham wished to see me in her room, and I bounded up, but as I got to the door I saw them beginning to shake their heads over her. "Sad that dear Ianthe has such irregular habits of breakfasting in her room; so bad for her," etc., etc.
Lady Katherine was frightfully stiff with him; it would have discouraged most people, but that is the lovely part about Lord Robert, he is always absolutely sans gêne! He saw me at once, of course, and came over as straight as a die the moment he could. "How do, Robert?" said Lady Verningham, giving him her fingers in such an attractive way. "Why are you here, and why is our Campie not?
Lady Verningham was talking to me just before tea, when the second train-load arrived. I tried to be quite indifferent, but I did feel dreadfully excited when Lord Robert walked in. Oh, he looked such a beautiful creature, so smart, and straight, and lithe!
I want to prevent any other man from looking at you do you hear me, Evangeline?" "Yes, I hear," I said; "but it does not have any effect on me. You would be awful as a husband. Oh, I know all about them!" and I looked up. "I saw several sorts at Tryland, and Lady Verningham has told me of the rest, and I know you would be no earthly good in that rôle!"
For the parson, "Yes" now and then did, and like that we got through dinner. Malcolm was opposite me, and he gaped most of the time. Even he might have been better than the botanist, but I suppose Lady Katherine felt these two would be a kind of half mourning for me. No one could have felt gay with them. After dinner Lady Verningham took me over to a sofa with her, in a corner.
I thanked her again, but remained firm in my intention of accustoming myself to company. Stay in my room, indeed, with Lord Robert at dinner never! However, when I did come down he was surrounded by Montgomeries, and pranced into the dining-room with Lady Verningham. I had such a bore! A young Mackintosh, cousin of Mary's husband, and on the other side the parson.
But when Lord Robert came in, and came over to us, it did feel hard having to get up at once and go and pretend I wanted to talk to Malcolm. I did not dare to look up often, but sometimes, and I found Lord Robert's eyes were fixed on me with an air of reproach and entreaty, and the last time there was wrath as well. Lady Verningham kept him with her until every one started to go to bed.
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