Belles and Ringers | Page 5

Sylla staying with us and all, I
really did hope----"
"Impossible, my dear," interrupted Lady Mary. "If we don't get a little
quiet now, I shall be having dear Blanche thoroughly knocked up
before the season is over."
Miss Chipchase said nothing, but marvelled much what all this anxiety
about dear Blanche's health might portend. The two girls were sworn
friends, and Laura Chipchase had more than once envied Blanche's
physique when she had met her, looking as fresh as a rose, at the
covertside in the morning, after they had been both dancing until four.
"I am so sorry we shall not see you at the Commonstone ball, Captain
Bloxam," said Miss Sylla, with whom Jim had entered into
conversation.
"Why so? What makes you think I shall not be there?"
"Because your mamma has brought you down here for the repairing of
your shattered constitutions," replied the young lady, demurely. "Do
you all go to bed at half-past ten?"
"Well, yes," returned Jim, with mock gravity. "I shall have to comply
with the maternal's programme as far as that goes; but to do honour to
the début of so fair a stranger in the land, I think Miss Sylla, I can
contrive to get out of the window after they are all asleep, and make my
way over to Commonstone."
"Dear me, how I should envy you! What fun it would be, the really
going to a ball in such surreptitious fashion!"
"Yes," said Jim; "but think about all the fears and anxieties of getting
back again. It's always so much easier to get out of a window than to
get into one."
"But what are you all proposing to do this afternoon, Blanche?"
inquired Laura Chipchase.

"Well, we thought of walking up to the camp and having a look at the
sea."
"And to search for Mrs. Sartoris's brother," interposed Jim Bloxam.
"You have a brother quartered at Rockcliffe, Mrs. Sartoris? I wonder
whether we know him? What is he in?" exclaimed Laura Chipchase.
"No; it is only some of Captain Bloxam's nonsense. I have a brother in
the army, and he pretends that I don't know where he is, or what is his
regiment."
"A walk to the camp--ah, that would be amusing!" said Miss Sylla. "I
never saw one. Are they under canvas?"
"No; boards," returned Jim. "But come along; if we are going to walk
to Rockcliffe, it is time we were off. The sooner you ladies get your
hats on, the better. We'll find Mrs. Sartoris's brother, launch Miss Sylla
here in military circles, and return with raging appetites to dinner." And
so saying, the dragoon, followed by most of the party, made his way to
the front door.
"Very nice of you, Pansey," said Lady Mary, "to put in that plea for
peace and quietness. I can't think what has come to the place. Who ever
heard of Commonstone breaking out with an Easter ball before?
Todborough generally is as dull as ditch-water at this time of year.
Something, it is true, may be going on at the camp; but as we know
nobody there just now, it usually does not affect us. However, I have no
intention of submitting to such a bouleversement of my schemes as this;
and go to that ball I don't."
CHAPTER II.
THE CONSPIRATORS TRIUMPH.
The dressing-bell was pealing as the gay party returned in high spirits
from their walk. It had been a very successful excursion, and the
newcomer, Miss Sylla, was unanimously voted an acquisition.

"Laura tells me," said Miss Bloxam, "that her cousin sings charmingly,
and is simply immense at charades, private theatricals, and all that sort
of thing."
"Ah, we might do something in that way one evening next week," said
her brother, as they passed through the hall. "Mr. Beauchamp here,
James?"
"Yes, sir; came about a quarter of an hour ago; he has just gone up to
dress."
Blanche was sitting in front of her dressing-table, with her maid putting
the finishing-touches to her toilette, when a slight tap at the door was
followed by the entrance of her mother.
"That will do, Gimp," said Lady Mary. "I will arrange those flowers in
Miss Blanche's hair myself;" and, obedient to the intimation, the
lady's-maid left the room. "I have just looked in to speak to you,
Blanche, about this ball. If the subject is revived at dinner this evening,
you won't want to go to it: you understand?"
"Of course, mamma, I will say so if you wish it; but I should like to go,
all the same."
"Oh, nonsense! An Easter ball at Commonstone would be a shocking,
vulgar, not to say rowdy, affair. Besides, surely you have had plenty of
dancing in London, to say nothing of heaps more in