Lady Penwether had
shrugged her shoulders when consulted as to these special guests
and had expressed a hope that Rufford "wasn't going to make a goose
of himself." But she was fond of her brother and as both Lady
Purefoy and Miss Penge were special friends of hers, and as she had
also been allowed to invite a couple of Godolphin's girls to whom
she wished to be civil, she did as she was asked. The girl, she
said to Miss Penge that evening, was handsome, but penniless and a
flirt. The mother she declared to be a regular old soldier. As to
Lady Augustus she was right; but she had perhaps failed to read
Arabella's character correctly. Arabella Trefoil was certainly not
a flirt. In all the horsey conversation Arabella joined, and her
low, clear, slow voice could be heard now and then as though she
were really animated with the subject. At Bragton she had never
once spoken as though any matter had interested her. During this
time Morton fell into conversation first with Lady Purefoy and then
with the two Miss Godolphins, and afterwards for a few minutes with
Lady Penwether who knew that he was a county gentleman and a
respectable member of the diplomatic profession. But during the
whole evening his ear was intent on the notes of Arabella's voice;
and also, during the whole evening, her eye was watching him.
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