"
Mary had besought Richard to keep that evening free--it was her lot
always to go out to entertainments under some one else's wing--and he
had promised to do his utmost. But, a burnt child in this respect, Mary
said she would believe it when she saw it; and the trend of events
justified her scepticism. The night arrived; she was on the point of
adjusting her wreath of forget-me-nots before her candle-lit mirror,
when the dreaded summons came. Mahony had to change and hurry off,
without a moment's delay.
"Send for Purdy. He'll see you across," he said as he banged the front
door.
But Mary despatched the gardener at a run with a note to Tilly Ocock,
who, she knew, would make room for her in her double-seated buggy.
Grindle got out, and Mary, her bunchy skirts held to her, took his place
at the back beside Mrs. Amelia. Tilly sat next the driver, and talked to
them over her shoulder--a great big jolly rattle of a woman, who ruled
her surroundings autocratically.
"Lor, no--we left 'im counting eggs," she answered an inquiry on Mary's
part. "Pa's got a brood of Cochin Chinas that's the pride and glory of
'is heart. And 'e's built 'imself the neatest little place for 'em you
could meet on a summer's day: you MUST come over and admire it, my dear
--that'll please 'im, no end. It was a condition I made for 'is going on
keeping fowls. They were a perfect nuisance, all over the garden and
round the kitchen and the back, till it wasn't safe to put your foot
down anywhere--fowls ARE such messy things! At last I up and said I
wouldn't have it any longer.
Pages:
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475