ng them out.

Mrs. Duncombe was as usual the guiding spirit, contriving all with a
cleverness that made the deficiencies of her household the more
remarkable. Conny and Bee Strangeways were the best workers, having
plenty of experience and resource, and being ready to do anything,
however hard, dusty, or disagreeable; and to drudge contentedly,
with plenty of chatter indeed, but quite as freely to a female as to
a male companion; whereas Miss Moy had a knot of men constantly
about her, and made a noise which was a sore trial to Cecil's heavy
spirit all the first day, exclusive of the offence to her native
fastidiousness. She even called upon Lady Tyrrell and Mrs. Duncombe
to hold a council whether all gentlemen should not be excluded the
next day, as spoiling the ladies' work, and of no use themselves;
but there were one or two who really did toil, and so well that they
could not be dispensed with, and Mrs. Duncombe added that it would
not do to give offence.

There was a harassed look about Mrs. Duncombe herself, for much
depended on the success of her husband's filly, Dark Hag. The
Captain had hitherto been cautious, and had secured himself against
heavy loss, so as to make the turf a tolerable speculation, on but
the wonderful perfections of this animal had led him to stake much
more on her than had been his wont; and though his wife was assured
of being a rich woman in another week, she was not sorry for the
multiplicity of occupations which hindered her mind from dwelling
too much on the chances.

"How calm you look,--how I envy you!" she said, as she came to
borrow some tape of Eleonora Vivian, who was fastening the pendent
articles to the drapery of her sister's stall. Eleonora gave a
constrained smile, feeling how little truth there was in her
apparent peace, wearied out as she was with the long conflict and
constant distrust. She was the more anxious to be with Lady Susan,
whose every word she could believe, and she finally promised to
leave home with Bee and Conny the day after the ball, and to meet
their mother in London. They knew there was no chance for Lorimer,
but they took her on her own terms, hoping something perhaps, and at
any rate glad to be a comfort to one whom they really loved, while
Lady Tyrrell was delighted to promote the visit, seeing that the
family did more for Lorimer's cause than he did for himself; and in
his own home who could guess the result, especially after certain
other