Mr. Fairfax lost four or five games in succession, excusing his own
careless play every time by some dexterous compliment to his betrothed.
More than once he stifled a yawn--more than once his glances wandered away
to the group near the piano, amidst which Clarissa was seated, listening to
Lizzy Fermor's brilliant waltzes and mazurkas, with an open music-book
on her lap, turning over the leaves now and then, with rather a listless
pre-occupied air, Mr. Fairfax thought.
That evening did certainly seem very dreary to Clarissa, in spite of Miss
Fermor's dashing music and animated chatter. She missed that other talk,
half playful, half earnest, with which George Fairfax had been wont to
beguile some part of every evening; finding her out, as if by a subtle
instinct, in whatever corner of the room she happened to be, and always
devoting one stray half-hour of the evening to her society. To-night all
things came to an end: matrons and misses murmured their good-nights and
sailed away to the corridor, where there was a regiment of small silver
candlesticks, emblazoned with the numerous quarterings of Armstrong and
Challoner; and George Fairfax only rose from the chess-table as Lady
Laura's guests abandoned the drawing-room. Geraldine bade her lover
good-night with her most bewitching smile--a smile in which there was even
some faint ray of warmth.
"You have given me some very easy victories," she said, as they shook
hands, "and I won't flatter you by saying you have played well.
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