The attempts at teaching
generally ended in merry laughter and the distribution of nuts and apples,
with humble apologies to the professional schoolmistress for so useless an
intrusion.
Miss Granger had no time to enlarge farther upon her manifold improvements
before dinner, to which she was escorted by one of the officers from
Steepleton, the nearest garrison town, who happened to be dining there that
day, and was very glad to get an innings with the great heiress. The master
of Arden Court had the honour of escorting Lady Laura; but from his post
by the head of the long table he looked more than once to that remote spot
where Clarissa sat, not far from his daughter. My lady saw those curious
glances, and was delighted to see them. They might mean nothing, of course;
but to that sanguine spirit they seemed an augury of success for the scheme
which had been for a long time hatching in the matron's busy brain.
"What do you think of my pet, Mr. Granger?" she asked presently.
Mr. Granger glanced at the ground near my lady's chair with rather a
puzzled look, half expecting to see a Maltese spaniel or a flossy-haired
Skye terrier standing on its hind legs.
"What do you think of my pet and _protegee_, Miss Lovel?"
"Miss Lovel! Well, upon my word, Lady Laura, I am so poor a judge of the
merits of young ladies in a general way; but she really appears a very
amiable young person.
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