CHAPTER VI.
_Containing an Evening Assembly at Bellair House_.
SEATED on an ottoman in the octagon library, occasionally throwing aglance at her illuminated and crowded saloons, or beckoning, with a fanalmost as long as herself, to a distant guest, Lady Bellair received theworld on the evening of the day that had witnessed the strange rencontrebetween Henrietta Temple and Ferdinand Armine. Her page, who stood atthe library-door in a new fancy dress, received the announcement ofthe company from the other servants, and himself communicated theinformation to his mistress.
'Mr. Million de Stockville, my lady,' said the page.
'Hem!' said her ladyship, rather gruffly, as, with no very amiableexpression of countenance, she bowed, with her haughtiest dignity, to arather common-looking personage in a gorgeously-embroidered waistcoat.
'Lady Ionia Colonnade, my lady.' Lady Bellair bestowed a smiling nodon this fair and classic dame, and even indicated, by a movement of herfan, that she might take a seat on her ottoman.
'Sir Ratcliffe and Lady Armine, my lady, and Miss Grandison.'
'Dear, good people!' exclaimed Lady Bellair, 'how late you are! andwhere is your wicked son? There, go into the next room, go, go, and seethe wonderful man. Lady Ionia, you must know Lady Armine; she islike you; she is one of my favourites. Now then, there all of you gotogether. I will not have anybody stay here except my niece. This is myniece,' Lady Bellair added, pointing to a young lady seated by her side;'I give this party for her.' 'General Faneville, my lady.' 'You are verylate,' said Lady Bellair. 'I dined at Lord Rochfort's,' said the generalbowing.
'Rochfort's! Oh! where are they? where are the Rochforts? they oughtto be here. I must, I will see them. Do you think Lady Rochfort wants anursery governess? Because I have a charming person who would just suither. Go and find her out, General, and enquire; and if she do not wantone, find out some one who does. Ask Lady Maxbury. There, go, go.'
'Mr. and Miss Temple, my lady.'
'Oh, my darling!' said Lady Bellair, 'my real darling! sit by me. I sentLady Ionia away, because I determined to keep this place for you. I givethis party entirely in your honour, so you ought to sit here. You are agood man,' she continued, addressing Mr. Temple; 'but I can't love youso well as your daughter.'
'I should be too fortunate,' said Mr. Temple, smiling.
'I knew you when you ate pap,' said Lady Bellair, laughing.
'Mrs. Montgomery Floyd, my lady.'
Lady Bellair assumed her coldest and haughtiest glance. Mrs. Montgomeryappeared more gorgeous than ever. The splendour of her sweeping trainalmost required a page to support it; she held a bouquet which mighthave served for the centre-piece of a dinner-table. A slender youth,rather distinguished in appearance, simply dressed, with a rose-bud justtwisted into his black coat, but whose person distilled odours whoseessence might have exhausted a conservatory, lounged at her side.
'May I have the honour to present to your ladyship Lord Catchimwhocan?'breathed forth Mrs. Montgomery, exulting in her companion, perhaps inher conquest.
Lady Bellair gave a short and ungracious nod. Mrs. Montgomery recognisedMr. and Miss Temple. 'There, go, go,' said Lady Bellair, interruptingher, 'nobody must stop here; go and see the wonderful man in the nextroom.'
'Lady Bellair is so strange,' whimpered Mrs. Montgomery, in anapologetical whisper to Miss Temple, and she moved away, covering herretreat by the graceful person of Lord Catchimwhocan.
'Some Irish guardsman, I suppose,' said Lady Bellair. 'I never heard ofhim; I hate guardsmen.'
'Rather a distinguished-looking man, I think,' said Mr. Temple.
'Do you think so?' said Lady Bellair, who was always influenced by thelast word. 'I will ask him for Thursday and Saturday. I think I musthave known his grandfather. I must tell him not to go about with thathorrid woman. She is so very fine, and she uses musk; she puts mein mind of the Queen of Sheba,' said the little lady, laughing, 'allprecious stones and frankincense. I quite hate her.'
'I thought she was quite one of your favourites, Lady Bellair?' saidHenrietta Temple rather maliciously.
'A Bath favourite, my dear; a Bath favourite. I wear my old bonnets atBath, and use my new friends; but in town I have old friends and newdresses.'
'Lady Frederick Berrington, my lady.' 'Oh! my dear Lady Frederick, nowI will give you a treat. I will introduce you to my sweet, sweet friend,whom I am always talking to you of. You deserve to know her; you willtaste her; there, sit down, sit by her, and talk to her, and make loveto her.'
'Lady Womandeville, my lady.'
'Ah! she will do for the lord; she loves a lord. My dear lady, you comeso late, and yet I am always so glad to see you. I have such a charmingfriend for you, the handsomest, most fashionable, witty person, quitecaptivating, and his grandfather was one of my dearest friends. What ishis name? what is his name? Lord Catchimwhocan. Mind, I introduce youto him, and ask him to your house very often.'
Lady Womandeville smiled, expressed her delight, and moved on.
Lord Montfort, who had arrived before the Temples, approached theottoman.
'Is the duchess here?' enquired Henrietta, as she shook hands with him.
'And Isabella,' he replied. Henrietta rose, and taking his arm, bidadieu to Lady Bellair.
'God bless you,' said her ladyship, with great emphasis. 'I will nothave you speak to that odious Mrs. Floyd, mind.'
When Lord Montfort and Henrietta succeeded in discovering the duchess,she was in the conservatory, which was gaily illuminated with colouredlamps among the shrubs. Her Grace was conversing with cordiality witha lady of very prepossessing appearance, in whom the traces of a beautyonce distinguished were indeed still considerable, and her companion,an extremely pretty person, in the very bloom of girlhood. Lord Montfortand Henrietta were immediately introduced to these ladies, as LadyArmine and Miss Grandison. After the scene of the morning, it was noteasy to deprive Miss Temple of her equanimity; after that shock, noincident connected with the Armine family could be surprising; shewas even desirous of becoming acquainted with Miss Grandison, and shecongratulated herself upon the opportunity which had so speedily offereditself to gratify her wishes. The duchess was perfectly delighted withLady Armine, whose manners were fascinating; between the families therewas some connection of blood, and Lady Armine, too, had always retaineda lively sense of the old duke's services to her son. Henrietta had evento listen to enquiries made after Ferdinand, and she learnt that he wasslowly recovering from an almost fatal illness, that he could not endurethe fatigues of society, and that he was even living at an hotel for thesake of quiet. Henrietta watched the countenance of Katherine, as LadyArmine gave this information. It was serious, but not disturbed. HerGrace did not separate from her new friends the whole of the evening,and they parted with a mutually expressed wish that they might speedilyand often meet. The duchess pronounced Lady Armine the most charmingperson she had ever met; while, on the other hand, Miss Grandison waswarm in her admiration of Henrietta Temple and Lord Montfort, whom shethought quite worthy even of so rare a prize.