This was a rather contradictory speech, to be interpreted by intuition rather than by logic. Molly understood that Cynthia wished for quietness and silence. But what was her surprise, after the speeches that had passed before, and the implication of Cynthia’s whole manner to Mr. Preston, to see him come up to her, and, without a word, offer his arm and lead her away to dance! It appeared to strike Mrs. Gibson as something remarkable; for, forgetting her late passage-at-arms with Molly, she asked, wonderingly, as if almost distrusting the evidence of her senses—
“Is Cynthia going to dance with Mr. Preston?”
Molly had scarcely time to answer, before she herself was led off by her partner. She could hardly attend to him or to the figures of the quadrille, for watching for Cynthia among the moving forms.
Once she caught a glimpse of her standing still—downcast—listening to Mr. Preston’s eager speech. Again, she was walking languidly among the dancers, almost as if she took no notice of those around her. When she and Molly joined each other again, the shade on Cynthia’s face had deepened to gloom. But, at the same time, if a physiognomist had studied her expression, he would have read in it defiance and anger, and perhaps also a little perplexity. While this quadrille was going on, Lady Harriet had been speaking to her brother.
“Hollingford!” she said, laying her hand on his arm, and drawing him a little apart from the well-born crowd amid which he stood silent and abstracted, “you don’t know how these good people here have been hurt and disappointed with our being so late, and with the duchess’s ridiculous simplicity of dress.”
“Why should they mind it?” asked he, taking advantage of her being out of breath with eagerness.
“Oh, don’t be so wise and stupid; don’t you see, we’re a show and a spectacle—it’s like having a pantomime with harlequin and columbine in plain clothes.”
“I don’t understand how”——he began.
“Then take it upon trust. They really are a little disappointed, whether they are logical or not in being so, and we must try and make it up to them; for one thing, because I can’t bear our vassals to look dissatisfied and disloyal, and then there’s the election in June.”
“I really would as soon be out of the House as in it.”
“Nonsense; it would grieve papa beyond measure—but there’s no time to talk about that now. You must go and dance with some of the townspeople, and I’ll ask Sheepshanks to introduce me to a respectable young farmer. Can’t you get Captain James to make himself useful? There he goes with Lady Alice! If I don’t get him introduced to the ugliest tailor’s daughter I can find for the next dance!” She put her arm in her brother’s as she spoke, as if to lead him to some partner. He resisted, however— resisted piteously.
“Pray don’t, Harriet. You know I can’t dance. I hate it; I always did. I don’t know how to get through a quadrille.”
“It’s a country dance!” said she resolutely.
“It’s all the same. And what shall I say to my partner? I haven’t a notion; I shall have no subject in common. Speak of being disappointed—they’ll be ten times more disappointed, when they find I can neither dance nor talk!”
“I’ll be merciful; don’t be so cowardly. In their eyes a lord may dance like a bear—as some lords not very far from me do—if he likes, and they’ll take it for grace. And you shall begin with Molly Gibson, your friend the doctor’s daughter. She’s a good, simple, intelligent little girl, which you’ll think a great deal more of, I suppose, than of the frivolous fact of her being very pretty. Clare! will you allow me to