"Now, Geraldine, I shall be able to introduce you to my favourite, Clarissa
Lovel," said Lady Laura; "Captain Westleigh you know of old."
The Captain and Lady Geraldine shook hands, declaring that they were quite
old friends--had known each other for ages, and so on; and Clarissa had a
few moments' pause, in which to observe the young lady.
She was tall and slim, her sister's junior by perhaps five years, but not
more; very fair, with bright auburn hair--that golden-tinted hair, of which
there seems to be so much more nowadays than was to be seen twenty years
ago. She was handsome--very handsome--Clarissa decided at once; but it
seemed to her rather a cold, hard style of beauty; the straight nose, the
mouth, and chin chiselled with a clearness and distinctness that was almost
sharpness; the large luminous blue eyes, which did not seem to possess much
capacity for tenderness.
Lady Laura was very proud of this sister, and perhaps just a little afraid
of her; but of course that latter fact was not obvious to strangers;
she was only a shade less volatile than usual in Geraldine's presence.
Geraldine was the beauty of the Challoner family, and her career had been
a failure hitherto; so that there was much rejoicing, in a quiet way,
now that Lady Geraldine's destiny was apparently decided, and in an
advantageous manner.
She was sufficiently gracious to Clarissa, but displayed none of that
warmth which distinguished Lady Laura's manner to her new friend; and when
the sisters had turned aside into another path, and were out of hearing,
Geraldine asked rather sharply why "that girl" was here?
"My dear Geraldine, she is perfectly charming.
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