And Lord Strathay"--the name rolled slowly from her tongue, as if
she were loth to let it go--"is a charming fellow. Just succeeded to the
title. He's travelling with his cousin, the Hon. Stephen Allardyce
Poultney. Nelly danced with him. And did she tell you that Mrs. Sloane
Schuyler begged to have her presented? Sister to a Duchess, you know.
We'll have Helen in London next. Nobody there to compare with her. Just
what Strathay said, I do assure you."
London! Men of title, and great ladies and the glitter of a court! Once I
may have dreamed of power and place and the rustle of trailing robes, and
being admired of all men and hated of all women, but now in my annoyance I
longed to cry out: "Why can't you talk sense? Why babble of such silly
things?"
To make matters worse, Uncle came just in time to hear the General's last
remark.
"I do not think our Princess would leave us," he said, "even if--
'at her feet were laid
The sceptres of the earth exposed on heaps
To choose where she would reign.'"
It was scarcely to be borne. I knew he was thinking of John, and I caught
myself looking down at my hand, praying that Ned might see that I no
longer wore the opal ring.
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