Lippa | Page 6

it for?'
'Wednesday,' says Philippa, meaning to enjoy herself. But in one sense
she is doomed to disappointment, the weather is everything that could
be wished, and, donning a pretty gown, and covering her head with a
dainty confection, she feels ready for the fray.
Ten o'clock is the hour fixed for starting from ---- Station, but Teddy
has been refractory over his breakfast and his mother considers it her
duty to reprimand him, tears ensue, and then some time is spent in
consolation, so that they are only just in time and have to run along the
platform to the saloon carriage, out of which Tommy Grant is
gesticulating violently.

'You're only just in time,' says he, helping them in.
Philippa looks round and does not see Dalrymple; she finds herself next
the eldest Miss Boothly who is saying, 'I am so pleased you could
come,' giving Lippa's arm a little squeeze at the same time, 'I think we
shall have a nice day, don't you, and you know all the people?'
'All except the man at the further end.'
'Oh! don't you know him,' says Miss Boothly. 'He's Lord Helmdon; he
has come in the place of Mr Dalrymple, who at the last moment wrote
to say he could not come, and so we asked Lord Helmdon, he's so nice;
we always fall back upon him when anyone fails us.'
Chubby does not look as if he had been fallen back upon by any means,
for apparently he is keeping up the spirits of the party, for they are all
in shrieks of laughter. Captain Harkness eyes Lippa from the distance,
and when they reach their destination prepares to assist her to alight,
when Lord Helmdon clumsily treads on her dress just as she is about to
jump down on the platform; no great damage is done, and Chubby,
profuse in apologies, wins Miss Seaton's heart by the plain distress
depicted on his countenance, and a safety pin which he produces and
with which he fastens up the torn gathers, and before they come to the
river, they are on quite friendly terms, much to the disgust of Harkness,
who has been attacked by his hostess's youngest daughter.
Up the river they go, dividing into three parties; Mrs Boothly, who has
placed herself next Mabel, warm, and decidedly sleepy, tries in vain to
feel happy in seeing her dear girls amused, and discusses the
management of children with Mrs Seaton. And the day wears on,
Helmdon making himself decidedly agreeable to everyone. Lippa
amuses herself to a certain extent, but she becomes irritated by the
assiduous attentions of Captain Harkness, to whom she has taken a
violent dislike. She gets more and more out of patience with him and at
length is almost rude. It appears to have no effect upon him whatever,
for like a great many other people he has a very good opinion of
himself, and that this girl is not pleased with his attentions never enters
his well-curled head. Philippa has taken his fancy and as he has just

made up his mind that it is time to enter the blissful (?) state of
matrimony, she seems to him to be the exact person to make his wife;
money makes no difference, for he is one of those fortunate individuals
who has almost more than he knows what to do with. That Miss Seaton
will have nothing to do with him, has not crossed his mind yet.
The party disperse again at the station pouring into Mrs Boothly's ear
many sweet sentences, which had she been listening would have made
her think that going up the river in a boat and lunching on the bank was
almost heaven upon earth; but poor dear lady she is longing to get
home, feeling painfully conscious of the shapeliness of her shoes; and
the pain thereby caused, absorbs all her faculties for the present: but
when the above mentioned articles are removed, she thinks with
pleasure how much everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and she
makes up her mind to have a similar day; only, made more pleasant to
her by large and shapeless boots. Wise Mrs Boothly--
Garden-parties, balls, dinner-parties, follow each other in rather
monotonous succession, and Lippa is beginning to tire of them, she has
been to three balls where a certain young man has been conspicuous by
his absence; and it is almost a week since he has dropped in to tea, and
Miss Seaton misses him more than she will own to herself. She is
feeling out of sorts this afternoon and has betaken herself to the back
drawing-room, which is only curtained off from the front, leaving
Mabel and Lady Dadford in earnest conversation.
Presently the door opens, and Ponsonby comes in. 'All