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A certain buoyancy, hitherto unsuspected, crept into her manner, as the corpuscles multiplied in her veins an archness. She talked more, and threw up a spray of playfulness. And, with a growing energy, she began to revise the exquisite æsthetic balance of Dunstone's house. She even enamelled a chair. For a year or so I was in the East. When I returned Mrs. Dunstone amazed me.
"I couldn't," said this naive young person. "Besides, there is much more of a field for me here than at Dunstone since papa's marriage." Whatever Rosamond had on the tip of her tongue was averted by the entrance of the three younger brothers. Julius seated himself beside her in the cushioned fireside corner; and Cecil asked where Raymond was. "Just stepped in to see my mother," said Frank.
Cecil's gaieties as a come-out young lady were selected on the same judicious principles as her childish diversions; and if ever the Dunstone family favoured an entertainment not to their taste, it was after a debate on the need of condescension and good-nature.
Self-improvement was a mere oppression, and she longed after nothing so much as the sight of Rosamond, Anne, Julius, or even Frank, and her amiable wishes prevailed to have them invited to Dunstone; but at the times specified there were hindrances.
She wanted us very much to come to Dunstone, and was much disappointed that we were prevented. I fancy her heart has turned to us, and that it is very sore, poor thing." Julius was right. Cecil did return an answer, whose warmth quite amazed all but Miles and Anne, who thought nothing too much for their son; and she gladly came to attend the christening of the young Raymond.
But if Cecil wants intellect, she had better take to the Duncombes, the queerest firm I ever fell in with. He makes the turf a regular profession, actually gets a livelihood out of his betting-book; and she is in the strong-minded line woman's rights, and all the rest of it." "We never had such people at Dunstone," said Cecil.
A subscription was in hand, but not adequate to the need; and moreover, it was far more expedient to let them maintain themselves. How this was to be done was the question. Cecil told her husband that at Dunstone they made the women knit stockings; and he replied by recommending the suppression of Dunstone.
But she had a sweet, low voice, a shrinking manner, rather a graceful carriage, I thought, and, though she spoke rarely, all she said was sweet and sane. She struck me as a refined woman in a blatant age. The general effect of her upon me was favourable; upon Dunstone it was tremendous. He lost a considerable proportion of his melancholia, and raved at times like a common man.
"If she were to speak. What would your father think of her?" But for the first time Cecil's allegiance had experienced a certain shock. Some sort of pedestal had hitherto been needful to her existence; she was learning that Dunstone was an unrecognized elevation in this new country, and she had seen a woman attain to a pinnacle that almost dazzled her, by sheer resource and good sense.
"Nor I; but Bindon evidently is up in those matters." "It was only to support Rosamond; and I am quite sure she said it out of mere opposition to me. You ought to speak to Julius." "About what?" said Raymond. "Her laughing whenever I mention Dunstone, and tell them the proper way of doing things." "There may be different opinions about the proper way of doing things."
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