"He wanted to be," said Babie, "but honest nature was too strong for
him."
"Johnny was so angry at the way he treated Jock."
"O, we quite forget all that. Poor fellow! it was a mistaken reading
of noblesse oblige, and he is very much ashamed of it. There, let me
put this fern and fuchsia into your hair. I'll try to do it as well
as Ellie would."
She did so, and better, being more dainty-fingered, and having more
taste. It really was an artistic pleasure to deal with such
beautiful hair, and such a lovely lay figure as Esther's. With all
her queenly beauty and grace, the girl had that simplicity and
sedateness which often goes with regularity of feature, and was
hardly conscious of the admiration she excited. Her good looks were
those of the family, and Kenminster was used to them. This was her
first evening of company, for on the only previous occasion her
little sister had been unwell, sleepless and miserable in the strange
house, and she had begged off. She was very shy now, and could not
go down without Barbara's protection, so, at the last moment before
dinner, the little brown fairy led in the tall, stately maiden, all
in white, with the bright fuchsias and delicate fern in her dark
hair, and a creamy rose, set off by a few more in her bosom.
Pages:
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743