The Fairhaired Alda - 1880 Author:Florence Marryat Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER VII. "it Can't Be True!" Mr. Capel was perfectly satisfied with the interview he had with his daughter, and as soon as the ladies had gone out s... more »hopping, he went round to Lord Sidney's chambers, and told him so. " It's all right, Sid, my boy! The girl's yours. You mustn't take the least notice of what the little rogue said to you last night. I had a talk with her after you were gone— laid the whole matter before her as plain as a pikestaff, and though she was a little alarmed at first, she told me of her own free will this Vol. 1. 10 evening that all she required was time to be accustomed to the idea." " But she wouldn't take the ornaments," said Lord Sidney, ruefully. "Not for the present. In fact, she says she would rather not accept anything from your hands until you are formally engaged to each other." " Oh, then, she does anticipate our engagement ?—the darling !" " Of course she does," replied his friend, with a violent slap on the back, which rather touched up the shoulder in which Lord Sidney suffered most from lumbago. " She was speaking at breakfast of the time when matters should be definitely settled between you. But I've altered my mind about one thing, Carleton." "What's that?" " About keeping the girl at home until you are married. I don't think it would be a good plan. Her mother tells me that she frets a good deal after Rouen, and somefriends she left there, so I am determined to divert her mind as much as possible, and have decided she shall make her debfit at the Mar- shalls' dance on Tuesday." "Some friends.1" repeated Lord Sidney. " You don't imagine, do you, Capel, that there can be anybody else ?" Mr. Capel did not know exactly what to answer. " Oh no—it is impossible; or, at all events, no one who will int...« less