"The poor little woman!") "Let us two keep
together," she said as she took Amelia's arm. "I don't intend to dance
much either, as my husband isn't here."
But once inside the gaily decorated hall, she found it impossible to
keep her word. Even on her way to a seat beside Agnes Ocock she was
repeatedly stopped, and, when she sat down, up came first one, then
another, to "request the pleasure." She could not go on refusing
everybody: if she did, it would look as if she deliberately set out to
be peculiar--a horrible thought to Mary. Besides, many of those who
made their bow were important, influential gentlemen; for Richard's sake
she must treat them politely.
For his sake, again, she felt pleased; rightly or wrongly she put the
many attentions shown her down to the fact of her being his wife. So she
turned and offered apologies to Agnes and Amelia, feeling at the same
time thankful that Richard had not Mr. Henry's jealous disposition.
There sat Agnes, looking as pretty as a picture, and was afraid to dance
with any one but her own husband. And he preferred to play at cards!
"I think, dear, you might have ventured to accept the Archdeacon for a
quadrille," she whispered behind her fan, as Agnes regretfully declined
Mr. Long.
But Agnes shook her head. "It's better not, Mary. It saves trouble
afterwards. Henry DOESN'T care to see it." Perhaps Agnes herself, once a
passionate dancer, was growing a little too comfortable, thought Mary,
as her own programme wandered from hand to hand.
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