What a pity that such an
aunt must know that she was an ill-behaved child, a misfortune to her
lineage! She stood leaning against the door, very awkward and
conscious. Mrs. Umfraville turned round, after smoothing her hair at
the glass, smiled, and said, "I thought I should find you here, my
little niece. You are Kate, I think."
"I used to be, but my aunts here call me Katharine."
"Is this your little room?" said Mrs. Umfraville, as they came out.
The fact was, that she thought the sisters might be happier with
their brother if she delayed a little; so she came into Kate's room,
and was beginning to look at her books, when Lady Barbara came
hurrying up again.
"She is composed now, Emily. Oh! it is all right; I did not know
where Katharine might be."
Kate's colour glowed. She could not bear that this sweet Aunt Emily
should guess that she was a state prisoner, kept in constant view.
Lady Jane was quiet again, and nothing more that could overthrow her
spirits passed all the evening; there was only a little murmur of
talk, generally going on chiefly between Lady Barbara and Mrs.
Umfraville, though occasionally the others put in a word. The
Colonel sat most of the time with his set, serious face, and his eye
fixed as if he was not attending, though sometimes Kate found the
quick keen brilliance of his look bent full upon her, so as to
terrify her by its suddenness, and make her hardly know what she was
saying or doing.
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