Sketches of Character (Volume 1); Or, Specimens of Real Life a Novel

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1815. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII. THE NIECES. I T had been Lady Aucherly's intention -*. when she left Bath, to have returned, immediately after Mrs. Macmaurice's party, but some of the officers having agreed to act a play on Monday for the benefit of the Bristol Infirmary; and a review of the troops being appointed for the Tuesday following, she wrote Sir Philip that Mrs. St. Clair had made her promise to stay till Wednesday. Notwithstanding the confusion which had been occasioned in Duncan House, Mrs. Macmaurice invited a party to dinner the next day, and insisted on Lady Aucherly's coming with the Miss Simmonses -- her ladyship acquiesced to pacify Mrs. Mac 'maurice, maurice, but she was determined rather to stay away herself than go, accompanied by all her nieces, who began daily to grow more a burthen to her; she had no objection, however, to take three or four of them, and therefore considered of some way for disposing of the others. There was a family at Clifton with which the Miss Simmonses were acquainted; and Lady Aucherly thought it probable, that if two or three of them were to pay their friends a visit, they might be invited to stay the whole day, and she could get Mrs. St. Clair to invite two or three more: being desirous, therefore, of trying the experiment, she sent Gifford with a request to see Miss Simmons. Besides, she was not without a hope, that as most of her nieces had never ceased dancing the whole of the preceding evening, some of them might be knocked up for the day. . As Lady Aucherly breakfasted in her own room, the young ladies were enjoying their breakfast by themselves in the drawing, room: they were full of the last night's entertainment, and being delighted with the gay gay society they had met, they hoped, by dining at Mrs. Macmaurice's, t...