"But I really don't know how to refuse when people are introduced
to me and ask me, and I am longing to dance. You know to-night it
is a charity ball, and papa said everybody danced with everybody,"
said Molly, in a pleading tone of voice; for she could not quite
thoroughly enjoy herself if she was out of harmony with any one.
What reply Mrs. Gibson would have made to this speech cannot now
be ascertained; for, before she could answer, Mr. Preston stepped
a little forwards, and said, in a tone which he meant to be icily
indifferent, but which trembled with anger,--
"If Miss Gibson finds any difficulty in refusing a partner, she has
only to apply to Miss Kirkpatrick for instructions."
Cynthia lifted up her beautiful eyes, and, fixing them on Mr.
Preston's face, said, very quietly, as if only stating a matter of
fact,--
"You forget, I think, Mr. Preston: Miss Gibson implied that she
wished to dance with the person who asked her--that makes all the
difference. I can't instruct her how to act in that difficulty."
And to the rest of this little conversation, Cynthia appeared to lend
no ear; and she was almost directly claimed by her next partner. Mr.
Preston took the seat now left empty much to Molly's annoyance. At
first she feared lest he might be going to ask her to dance; but,
instead, he put out his hand for Cynthia's nosegay, which she had
left on rising, entrusted to Molly. It had suffered considerably from
the heat of the room, and was no longer full and fresh; not so much
so as Molly's, which had not, in the first instance, been pulled to
pieces in picking out the scarlet flowers which now adorned Molly's
hair, and which had since been cherished with more care. Enough,
however, remained of Cynthia's to show very distinctly that it was
not the one Mr. Preston had sent; and it was perhaps to convince
himself of this, that he rudely asked to examine it. But Molly,
faithful to what she imagined would be Cynthia's wish, refused to
allow him to touch it; she only held it a little nearer.
"Miss Kirkpatrick has not done me the honour of wearing the bouquet
I sent her, I see. She received it, I suppose, and my note?"
"Yes," said Molly, rather intimidated by the tone in which this was
said. "But we had already accepted these two nosegays."
Mrs. Gibson was just the person to come to the rescue with her
honeyed words on such an occasion as the present. She evidently was
rather afraid of Mr. Preston, and wished to keep at peace with him.