_Containing an Evening Assembly at Bellair House_.
SEATED on an ottoman in the octagon library, occasionally throwing a
glance at her illuminated and crowded saloons, or beckoning, with a fan
almost as long as herself, to a distant guest, Lady Bellair received the
world on the evening of the day that had witnessed the strange rencontre
between Henrietta Temple and Ferdinand Armine. Her page, who stood at
the library-door in a new fancy dress, received the announcement of
the company from the other servants, and himself communicated the
information to his mistress.
‘Mr. Million de Stockville, my lady,’ said the page.
‘Hem!’ said her ladyship, rather gruffly, as, with no very amiable
expression of countenance, she bowed, with her haughtiest dignity, to a
rather common-looking personage in a gorgeously-embroidered waistcoat.
‘Lady Ionia Colonnade, my lady.’ Lady Bellair bestowed a smiling nod
on this fair and classic dame, and even indicated, by a movement of her
fan, 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! and
where is your wicked son? There, go into the next room, go, go, and see
the wonderful man. Lady Ionia, you must know Lady Armine; she is
like you; she is one of my favourites. Now then, there all of you go
together. I will not have anybody stay here except my niece. This is my
niece,’ Lady Bellair added, pointing to a young lady seated by her side;
‘I give this party for her.’ ‘General Faneville, my lady.’ ‘You are very
late,’ said Lady Bellair. ‘I dined at Lord Rochfort’s,’ said the general
bowing.
‘Rochfort’s! Oh! where are they? where are the Rochforts? they ought
to be here. I must, I will see them. Do you think Lady Rochfort wants a
nursery governess? Because I have a charming person who would just suit
her. Go and find her out, General, and enquire; and if she do not want
one, 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 sent
Lady Ionia away, because I determined to keep this place for you. I give
this party entirely in your honour, so you ought to sit here. You are a
good man,’ she continued, addressing Mr. Temple; ‘but I can’t love you
so 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. Montgomery
appeared more gorgeous than ever. The splendour of her sweeping train
almost required a page to support it; she held a bouquet which might
have served for the centre-piece of a dinner-table. A slender youth,
rather distinguished in appearance, simply dressed, with a rose-bud just
twisted into his black coat, but whose person distilled odours whose
essence 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 in
her conquest.
Lady Bellair gave a short and ungracious nod. Mrs. Montgomery recognised
Mr. and Miss Temple. ‘There, go, go,’ said Lady Bellair, interrupting
her, ‘nobody must stop here; go and see the wonderful man in the next
room.’
‘Lady Bellair is so strange,’ whimpered Mrs. Montgomery, in an
apologetical whisper to Miss Temple, and she moved away, covering her
retreat by the graceful person of Lord Catchimwhocan.
‘Some Irish guardsman, I suppose,’ said Lady Bellair. ‘I never heard of
him; 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 the
last word. ‘I will ask him for Thursday and Saturday. I think I must
have known his grandfather. I must tell him not to go about with that
horrid woman. She is so very fine, and she uses musk; she puts me
in mind of the Queen of Sheba,’ said the little lady, laughing, ‘all
precious stones and frankincense. I quite hate her.’
‘I thought she was quite one of your favourites, Lady Bellair?’ said
Henrietta Temple rather maliciously.
‘A Bath favourite, my dear; a Bath favourite. I wear my old bonnets at
Bath, and use my new friends; but in town I have old friends and new
dresses.’
‘Lady Frederick Berrington, my lady.’ ‘Oh! my dear Lady Frederick, now
I 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 will
taste her; there, sit down, sit by her, and talk to her, and make love
to her.’
‘Lady Womandeville, my lady.’
‘Ah! she will do for the lord; she loves a lord. My dear lady, you come
so late, and yet I am always so glad to see you. I have such a charming
friend for you, the handsomest, most fashionable, witty person, quite
captivating, and his grandfather was one of my dearest friends. What is
his name? what is his name? Lord Catchimwhocan. Mind, I introduce you
to 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 the
ottoman.
‘Is the duchess here?’ enquired Henrietta, as she shook hands with him.
‘And Isabella,’ he replied. Henrietta rose, and taking his arm, bid
adieu to Lady Bellair.
‘God bless you,’ said her ladyship, with great emphasis. ‘I will not
have 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 coloured
lamps among the shrubs. Her Grace was conversing with cordiality with
a lady of very prepossessing appearance, in whom the traces of a beauty
once distinguished were indeed still considerable, and her companion,
an extremely pretty person, in the very bloom of girlhood. Lord Montfort
and Henrietta were immediately introduced to these ladies, as Lady
Armine and Miss Grandison. After the scene of the morning, it was not
easy to deprive Miss Temple of her equanimity; after that shock, no
incident connected with the Armine family could be surprising; she
was even desirous of becoming acquainted with Miss Grandison, and she
congratulated herself upon the opportunity which had so speedily offered
itself to gratify her wishes. The duchess was perfectly delighted with
Lady Armine, whose manners were fascinating; between the families there
was some connection of blood, and Lady Armine, too, had always retained
a lively sense of the old duke’s services to her son. Henrietta had even
to listen to enquiries made after Ferdinand, and she learnt that he was
slowly recovering from an almost fatal illness, that he could not endure
the fatigues of society, and that he was even living at an hotel for the
sake of quiet. Henrietta watched the countenance of Katherine, as Lady
Armine gave this information. It was serious, but not disturbed. Her
Grace did not separate from her new friends the whole of the evening,
and they parted with a mutually expressed wish that they might speedily
and often meet. The duchess pronounced Lady Armine the most charming
person she had ever met; while, on the other hand, Miss Grandison was
warm in her admiration of Henrietta Temple and Lord Montfort, whom she
thought quite worthy even of so rare a prize.