"Do you know where Miss Granard is?" said Henrietta. "I have just finished sorting the costumes in my dressing-room, which she so much wished to see."
"She told me," thought Lord Allerton, "that her mother wanted her particularly."
"Oh, pray do not," said Lady Anne, "show them to her this morning. Mary is walking in the cypress grove. Poor dear Mr. Granard gave her some very bad habits; and I find that, as they are past cure, I must give way to them; for, quiet as she seems, Mary has a will of her own."
Now the bad habits to which Lady Anne alluded were only those of air and exercise; but, not stating what they might be, Lord Allerton had full opportunity to exercise his imagination concerning them.
"I do not feel inclined to walk," said Henrietta, "so will wait till she returns."
"She is to walk one hour," replied Lady Anne; "it is for the sake of her complexion. It is necessary to keep it up, though her's is just the sort of skin on which a touch of rouge would never be suspected."
"Miss Granard has a lovely colour," continued Miss Aubrey.
"Yes," replied her mother; "and that is the reason why I always make her go down to breakfast. Moreover, Lord Allerton is an early riser, and of course he is our first object.'"
"No wonder," added her companion, "that Lord
