and Mrs. Channing knew by past
experience. They both soothed her; telling her that no irreparable
wrong had been done to Arthur; nothing but what would be now made
right.
"It all turns contrary together!" exclaimed my lady, drying up her
tears over the first grievance, and beginning upon another. "I suppose,
Constance, you and William Yorke will be making it up now."
Constance's self-conscious smile, and her drooping eyelids might have
told, without words, that that was already done.
"And the next thing, of course, will be your getting married!"
continued Lady Augusta. "When is it to be? I suppose you have been
settling the time."
The question was a direct and pointed one, and Lady Augusta waited for
an answer. Mrs. Channing came to the relief of Constance.
"It would have been very soon indeed, Lady Augusta, but for this
dreadful uncertainty about Charles. In any case, it will not be delayed
beyond early spring."
"Oh, to be sure! I knew that! Everything goes contrary and cross for
me! What am I to do for a governess? I might pay a thousand a year and
not find another like Constance. They are beginning to improve under
you: they are growing more dutiful girls to me; and now it will all be
undone again, and they'll just be ruined!"
Constance looked up with her pretty timid blush. "William and I have
been thinking, Lady Augusta, that, if you approved of it, they had
better come for a few months to Hazledon House.
Pages:
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727