Yet I never once glanced in his direction.
We had to go to the third floor for the dressing rooms; but in spite of
those minutes of grace, when a maid had removed my wraps--she started with
amazement as she did so--my cheeks were still aflame.
Mrs. Baker and Milly fussed with my dress, and Aunt became incoherent in
her efforts to soothe and encourage me; for she feared the ordeal before
us, and thought that I feared it also. And I was afraid, but not of
meeting any person in that house, save one. I quivered at the thought that
outside the door Ned was waiting, that we must go out to him, that I might
even be obliged to speak to him. And yet I longed to see him again, to be
with him--somewhere, away from them all.
Perhaps at last I was beginning to understand.
The General had been sent for, and I kept close to her and to Peggy, when
they went down with our party to the parlours on the second floor. There,
at our entrance, groups of people seemed to divide with an eager buzz that
at any other time would have been ravishing music. Last night I didn't
know that I heard it, though now I remember how splendidly apparelled
women and sombre-coated men turned their heads as we passed.
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