said Mrs. Blake, a lively, pleasant-looking little woman of five or six and thirty, to a lady who was standing near her, ‘when you know what a partner he is to have. Miss Osborne has been so very kind as to promise to dance the two first dances with him.’
‘Oh, yes! we have been engaged this week,’ cried the boy, ‘and we are to dance down every couple.’
On the other side of Emma, Miss Osborne, Miss Carr, and a party of young men were standing engaged in very lively consultation; and soon afterwards she saw the smartest officer of the set walking off to the orchestra to order the dance, while Miss Osborne passing before her to her little expecting partner, hastily said, ‘Charles, 1 beg your pardon for not keeping my engagenient, but I am going to dance these two dances with Colonel Beresford. I know you will excuse me, and I will certainly dance with you after tea;’ and without staying for an answer, she turned again to Miss Carr, and in another minute was led by Colonel Beresford to begin the set. If the poor little boy’s face had in its happiness been interesting to Emma, it was infinitely more so under this sudden reverse; he stood the picture of disappointment with crimsoned cheeks, quivering lips, and eyes bent on the floor. His mother, stifling her own mortification, tried to soothe his with the prospect of Miss Osborne’s second promise ; but, though he contrived to utter with an effort of boyish bravery, ‘Oh, I do not mind it!’ it was very evident by the unceasing agitation of his features that he minded it as much as ever.
