Her kind heart got the better of her; and her face relented in a
sudden reassuring smile. Then she turned hastily away. Only George
saw and understood the little side scene and the reason Mr.
Stanhope was induced to remain. Then Elsie, in her quickly varying
moods, was vexed at herself, and became more cold and distant than
ever. "He will regard me as only a pert, forward miss, but I will
teach him better," she thought; and she astonished the family more
and more by a stateliness utterly unlike herself. Mr. Stanhope
sincerely regretted that he had not broken away, in spite of the
others; but in order not to seem vacillating he resolved to stay
till the following morning, even though he departed burdened with
the thought that he had spoiled the day for one of the family.
Things had now gone so far that leaving might only lead to
explanations and more general annoyances, for George had intimated
that the little mistake of the previous evening should remain a
secret.
And yet he sincerely wished she would relent toward him, for she
could not make her sweet little face repellent.
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