'
'My dear, if she contrives to look down on Felix after she has seen
him, she will deserve anything you please. Just now, I believe the
foolishness is in her school, and not in herself.'
Nevertheless, Geraldine's eagerness underwent a great revulsion.
Instead of looking forward to the visit, she expected it with dread,
and dislike to the pert, conceited, flippant Londoner, who despised
her noble brother, and aspired to the notice of Carry Price. Her
nervous shrinking from strangers--the effect of her secluded life--
increased on her every moment of that dull wet afternoon; her feet
grew cold, her cheeks hot, and she could hardly find temper or
patience for the many appeals of Bernard and Stella for her
attention.
Her foolish little heart was palpitating as if a housebreaker were
entering instead of Wilmet, conducting a dainty cloud of fresh lilac
muslin, out of which appeared a shining black head, and a smiling
sparkling face, with so much life and play about the mouth and eyes
that there was no studying their form or colour, and it was only
after a certain effort that it could be realised that Alice Knevett
was a glowing brunette, with a saucy little nose, retrousse, though
very pretty, a tiny mouth full of small pearls, and eyes of black
diamond.
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