Lady de la Poer would have written, but it had only boon settled that
morning on finding that he could spare the day.
Kate squeezed Adelaide's hand in an agony. Oh! would that aunt let
her go?
"You would like to come?" asked Lord de la Poer, bending his pleasant
eyes on her. "Have you ever been there?"
"Never! Oh, thank you! I should like it so much! I never saw any
exhibition at all, except once the Gigantic Cabbage!--May I go, Aunt
Barbara?"
"Really you are very kind, after--"
"Oh, we never think of AFTERS on birthdays!--Do we, Addie?"
"If you are so very good, perhaps Mrs. Lacy will kindly bring her to
meet you."
"I am sure," said he, turning courteously to that lady, "that we
should be very sorry to give Mrs. Lacy so much trouble. If this is
to be a holiday to everyone, I am sure you would prefer the quiet
day."
No one could look at the sad face and widow's cap without feeling
that so it must be, even without the embarrassed "Thank you, my Lord,
if--"
"If--if Katharine were more to be trusted," began Lady Barbara.
"Now, Barbara," he said in a drolly serious fashion, "if you think
the Court of Chancery would seriously object, say so at once."
Lady Barbara could not keep the corners of her mouth quite stiff, but
she still said, "You do not know what you are undertaking."
"Do you deliberately tell me that you think myself and Fanny, to say
nothing of young Fanny, who is the wisest of us all, unfit to be
trusted with this one young lady?" said he, looking her full in the
face, and putting on a most comical air: "It is humiliating, I own.
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