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Updated: June 20, 2025
In the height of the Season it was not easy to get together a goodly selection of guests at short notice, and Francesca had gladly fallen in with Serena's suggestion of bringing with her Stephen Thorle, who was alleged, in loose feminine phrasing, to "know all about" tropical Africa.
Of course he may be something of a sport, but that is to be expected. The trouble with you and me, Mother, is that we are too old-fashioned; we are not sporty enough." "GERTIE!" Serena's horror was beyond words. Gertrude laughed. "But that can be mended," she went on. "Mother, you should learn to drink cocktails and tango. I think I shall. Everybody's doing it, doing it, doing it!"
If either of the young men was seriously "making the running," it was probable that she would hear some sly hint or open comment about it from one of Serena's gossip- laden friends, without having to go out of her way to introduce the subject and unduly disclose her own state of ignorance.
After the tour was at an end, and just before the party descended to the drawing-room, Mrs. Fenholtz turned to Serena and said: "Mrs. Dott, are you interested in club matters; in women's clubs, I mean?" Serena's answer was a prompt one. "Indeed I am," she said. "I have always been interested in them. Mrs. Fenholtz looked puzzled. The order Mrs. Black belongs to."
The Dotts had inherited money! The Dotts were rich! The Dotts were millionaires! Captain Daniel's brother had died and left him fifty thousand dollars! His brother's wife had died and left him a hundred thousand! It was not his brother's wife, but Serena's uncle who had died, and the inheritance was two hundred and fifty thousand at least.
With such an opportunity, and unable to make use of it! But for her, he would never even have become Mayor. She was enraged at having yielded in the matter of Serena's betrothal. Glazzard had fooled them; he was an unprincipled adventurer, with an eye only to the fortune Serena would bring him!
He spoke of his own loneliness, and of Serena's infatuation for society, of Gertrude's coming and the great change in her, of the gay life in Scarford, and of his daughter's apparent love for it. He gave his opinion of Hungerford and of Holway, the latter's friend.
I don't think him a bore, and I am sure Miss Hall doesn't. 'Very well, then I will go into the drawing-room against he comes in. 'Thanks; and I will whisper a little secret into your ear; he is an old lover of Serena's, and I cannot help hoping he is come to propose for her. Mr Gwynne was alive and interested in a moment.
Here they are. Very well, Hapgood. You may show them in." Even Serena's new gown, fine as it was and proud as she had been of it, lost something of its glory and sank into a modest second place when Annette appeared. Mrs. Black had dressed for the occasion. Also, she had insisted upon her husband's dressing. "What in blazes must I climb into a dress suit for?" demanded that gentleman grumpily.
Nerves were a new acquisition of Serena's; at least she had never been conscious of them until recently. Now, however, they were becoming more and more in evidence. She was fretful and impatient of trifles, and the least contradiction or upset of her plans was likely to bring on fits of hysterical weeping. It was so in this case.
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