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Updated: May 23, 2025
This time to-morrow my name will be Gurrage! And Augustus will have the right to Merciful God! stop my heart from beating in this sickening fashion, and let me remember the motto of my race "Sans bruit." Oh, grandmamma, if I could go on your journey with you! The first jump out into the dark might be fearful, but afterwards it would be quiet and still, and there would be no caterpillars!
She was full of excitement at the return of the owners of Ledstone, and gave us a quantity of information about them in spite of grandmamma's aloofness from all gossip. It appears, even in the country in England, Mrs. Gurrage is considered quite an oddity, but every one knows and accepts her, because she is so charitable and gives hundreds to any scheme the great ladies start.
I could hardly prevent myself from screaming with laughter. "I've heard the joyous news," Mrs. Gurrage said, "and I've come to take you to me heart, me dear." Upon which I was folded fondly against a mosaic brooch containing a lock of hair of the late Mr. Gurrage. It says a great deal for the unassailable dignity of grandmamma that she did not share the same fate.
Gurrage said to me, 'Mark my word, Mary Jane, the boy will get on!" In the class of my belle famille, mourning is fortunately a matter of such importance that the wearing of crêpe for grandmamma has been allowed to be sufficient reason for abandoning the wedding rejoicings. Dear grandmamma! it would please you to know your death had done me even this service.
Gurrage stopped, and said: "Good-mornin', me dear; you must be our new tenant at the cottage." Her voice is the voice of quite a common person and has the broad accent of some county I don't know which. I was so astonished at being called "me dear" by a stranger that for half a second I almost forgot grandmamma's maxim of "let nothing in life put you out of countenance."
Gurrage is of a tenacious disposition and likes to keep her own belongings to herself, so I shall be spared the experience of the park-paling tiara sitting upon my brow. Such things being unsuitable to be worn at dinner I fear would have little influence upon Augustus; I am trembling even now at what I may be forced to glitter in. We are to drive over to Harley late in the afternoon.
"I've never been so insulted in my life!" she snorted, as we walked back to the farm, after a confused scene, in which Mr. Dodd and Sir Samuel and Augustus, Miss Springle, and Mrs. Dodd herself had all talked at once. "Never so insulted in my life! Sent away as if I wasn't wanted. If I hadn't known Gussie Gurrage since he was a baby I'd have boxed his ears, that I would!"
"Do not scold me," said Lady Tilchester, as she returned with him. "I think Mrs. Gurrage will tell you we have spent a very pleasant afternoon." "Indeed, yes," I said. "And I mean to spend a pleasant evening," he whispered, low, to me. "As soon as you have eaten that horrid muffin I shall carry you off to see my pictures." I looked at Lady Tilchester. What would she wish me to do?
There were several nice-looking people standing around when at last we arrived on the dais. Mrs. Gurrage greeted most of them gushingly and introduced me. "My future daughter-in-law, Miss Athelstan." It may have been fancy, but I thought I caught flashes of surprise in their eyes. One lady Lady Tilchester the great magnate in the neighborhood, spoke to me.
Balls may be delightful, but my first ball contained hours which I can only look back upon as a nightmare. The Marquis and I arrived not too early; Mrs. Gurrage and her bevy of nieces and friends were already in the dressing-room. They seemed to be plainish, buxom girls, several of the bony, passé description. They looked at me with eyes of deep interest.
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