Under a Delusion

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXIV. All's Well That Ends Well. Breakfast was a very disjointed affair. People came dropping in, late or early, according to their respective temperaments. Alice was to the fore in good time, and brought down blushing Nora under her wing, and George found no difficulty today in appearing early enough to exchange a few lover-like words under cover of finding out her material wants. Lady Lynn came in full of apologies for dear Amelia, who is always so tired after a ball--not strong, you know, poor child, she works too hard: anything will do for her, Miss Holdinghame; pray don't keep anything hot, and so on, to an extent that inclined Alice to take her at her word, and omit orders for fresh tea and toast. There was some languid discussion over the ball, but the subject was too full of consciousness to many of the party to be pursued with great zest, and Alice resigned herself to the task of keeping Lady Lynn off dangerous topics, and calmly ignoring the hints she threw out. The other pair of lovers may be said to have been above suspicion, for their behaviour was calm and imperturbable, now that all was right between the two; and Mrs Holdinghame began to think that the wild notion which Dick's information had fostered would prove to be but the work of imagination. But one little incident again roused her attention. Just at the end of breakfast, Lady Lynn, turning to Lady Burnhaven, remarked loudly, You look rather pale this morning, Lady Burnhaven; I hope you didn't catch cold at that open door last night. It was very inconsiderate of you, Mr de Quemys, to let in so much night air; the conservatory was quite cool enough. Dick shot a triumphant glance across the table at his mother, and she felt so hot and uncomfortable for her guest's sake, th...