Lucy laughed and coloured. Margaret felt very much inclined to laugh too.
"It will be worth while for him to come over," said George, "if he occupies you as profitably as he did this morning."
"How was that, Mr. Gage?" asked Lady Conway.
"The fact is this, mamma," said Harriet hastily, "Mr. Gage having forgotten my out of door propensities, was astonished to see me standing on the lawn for a few minutes without my bonnet."
"Oh! pray be careful while we are away, my dear," said Lady Conway. "You must not take cold."
They were rising. Mr. Gage drew back Harriet's chair; and she, in passing out, fixed her splendid eyes upon him, and muttered in a distinct manner, 'Tu me lo pagherai.'
He bowed as if to say, he was willing to make payment at any time.
The ladies remained loitering among the beautiful plants in the hall, and Elizabeth coming up to Margaret, urged her, in a low voice, to stay with her as long as Harriet remained at Chirke Weston.
"It will be more cheerful for both of you, and though I do not propose her as a model for your imitation; you are safe with her, she always speaks the truth. And your uncle can better spare you now Mr. Haveloc is with him."
Margaret accepted with much pleasure, and the visitors having now all dropped off, she began really to enjoy herself. They walked out, accompanied by George and Hubert over a beautiful country.
Hubert divided his attentions very much between Margaret and the Skye terrier.
Harriet took her own course, swinging in her hand a little riding-whip which had a whistle at the end of it, with which she was used to summon her dog.
George walked with Elizabeth, being out of humour, and thinking very properly that his sister was created for the especial purpose of cheering him under the influence of that complaint.
She succeeded in doing so, for her evenness of temper was remarkable. She agreed that it was a miserable day--that the wind was keen--that it was very likely to rain--that the ball had been a dull one, and that the post came in at Chirke Weston at an inconvenient time--and then, (for it does not answer to agree too much with people,) she qualified his censures of Lord Raymond, defended her father's black cravats, maintained there would be a great many people at the flower-show, and said she had not at all pitied him for being obliged to dance with Lady Farquhar, though she was fat, and five and forty.