Janet's Love and Service Part 37

"It was gauze or c.r.a.pe, I think. No; it had a name of three syllables at least. It was white or blue, or both. But I'll write a note to Mrs Gridley, shall I, Rosie?"

"It would be a good plan. I wonder what is the use of your going to parties?"

"So do I, indeed," said her brother. "I am quite in the dark on the subject. But I was told in confidence that there are cards to be issued for a great entertainment in Grove House, and I should not wonder if my 'accomplished sisters'--as Mrs Gridley in her friendly way calls them-- were to be visited in due form by the lady of the Grove preparatory to an invitation to the same. So be in readiness. I think I should write the note to Mrs Gridley, Rosie; you'll need a hint."

Graeme laughed, while Rose clapped her hands.

"I am not afraid of the call or the invitation," said Graeme.

But they came--first the call, which was duly returned, and then the invitation. That was quite informal. Mrs Grove would be happy if Miss Elliott and her sister would spend the evening at her house to meet a few friends. To their surprise, Harry, as well as Arthur, came home with a little pink note to the same effect.

"I didn't know that you knew the Groves, Harry," said Arthur.

"Oh, yes, I know Mr Grove in a general way; but I am invited through a mistake. However, I shall go all the same. I am not responsible for other people's mistakes. Nothing can be plainer than that."

"A mistake!" repeated several voices.

"Yes; Mrs Grove thinks I am a rising man, like the squire here; and why undeceive her? I shall add to the brilliancy of her party, and enjoy it mightily myself. Why undeceive her, I ask?"

"Don't be nonsensical, Harry," said Rose.

"How came Mrs Grove to make such an absurd mistake?" said Arthur, laughing.

"She's _cute_, I know; still it was not surprising in the circ.u.mstances.

I met her on the street yesterday, and I saw the invitation in her eyes as plainly as I see this little pink concern now;" and he tossed the note to Rose. "I think I should send the acceptance to Miss Elphinstone. It was she who obtained the invitation for me."

"Miss Elphinstone!"

"Yes, or Jack, or both, I should perhaps say. For if Jack had been at his post, I should not have been politely requested to call a carriage for Miss Elphinstone, and Mrs Grove would not have seen me escorting her down the street as she sat in her carriage at Alexander's door. I know she was thinking I was very bold to be walking on N Street with my master's daughter. Of course she didn't know that I was doing the work of that rascal Jack. And so I am going to the Grove party, unless, indeed, there is any objection to our going _en ma.s.se_. Eh, Graeme?"

"It is not a party, only a few friends," said Rose, eagerly.

"Certainly, we'll all go," said Arthur. "If they had not wanted us all, they would not have asked us. Of course, we'll all go for once."

"But, Graeme," said Harry, coming back after he had left to go away, "don't let the idea of 'a few friends' delude you. Make yourselves as fine as possible. There will be a great crowd, you may be sure. Miss Elphinstone and Mr Ruthven are invited, and they are not among the intimate friends of such people as the Groves. Shall I send you home a fashion book, Rosie?"

"Or write a note to Mrs Gridley," said Arthur.

Rose laughed. She was pleasantly excited at the prospect of her first large party, there was no denying it. Indeed, she did not seek to deny it, but talked merrily on, not seeing, or not seeming to see, the doubtful look on Graeme's face. She alone, had not spoken during the discussion. She had not quite decided whether this invitation was so delightful as Rosie thought, and in a little when her sister had left the room, she said--

"Shall I accept the invitation then for Rose and me?"

"Have you not accepted yet? you need not of course, unless you wish.

But I think you will enjoy it, and Rosie, too."

"Yes, but I am by no means sure, that I like Mrs Grove," said she, hesitating.

"Are you not?" said her brother, laughing. "Well, I have got much farther than you. I am sure that I don't like her at all. But, what of that?"

"Only that I don't fancy accepting kindness, from a person I don't like, and to whom I don't think it would be pleasant to repay in kind."

"Oh! nonsense. The obligation is mutual. Her kindness will be quite repaid, by having a new face in her splendid rooms. And as for repaying her in kind, as you call it, that is quite out of the question. There are not a dozen people in town who do the thing on the scale the Groves attempt. And besides, Rosie would be disappointed."

Graeme did not believe that it was the best thing that could happen to Rosie, to be gratified in this matter, but she did not say so.

"After all," thought she, "I daresay there is no harm in it. I shall not spoil the pleasure of the rest, by not seeming to enjoy it. But I don't like Mrs Grove."

The last words were emphatically repeated. She did not like her. She did not wish to see her frequently, or to know her intimately. She wished she had neither called, nor invited them. She wished she had followed her first impulse, which had been to refuse at once without referring to her brothers. Now, however, she must go with a good grace.

So they all went, and enjoyed it very much, one and all, as they found on comparing notes around the bright little fire, which Nelly had kept burning, against their return.

"Only," said Rosie, with a little shamefacedness, "I am not sure that Graeme liked me to dance quite so much."

Graeme was not sure either, but she did not think this the best time to speak about it. So she did not.

"But how you ever learned to dance is a mystery to me," said Arthur, "and Harry too, I saw him carrying off Miss Elphinstone, with all the coolness imaginable. Really, the young people of the present day amaze me."

"Oh! one can dance without learning," said Rose, laughing. "The music inspires it."

"And I have danced many a time before," said Harry. "You are not sorry you went, are you Graeme?"

"Sorry! no indeed! I have had a very pleasant evening."

And so had they all. Mrs Grove had made a great effort to get a great many nice and clever people together, and she had succeeded. It had required an effort, for it was only lately, since his second marriage, that Mr Grove had affected the society of clever people, or indeed, any society at all. There were people who fancied that he did not affect it yet, and who pitied him, as he wandered about, or lingered in corners among the guests, that his more aspiring wife managed to bring together.

He did not enjoy society much, but that was a small matter in the opinion of his wife. He was as little of a drawback to the general enjoyment, as could be expected in the circ.u.mstances. If he was not quite at his ease, at least he was seldom in anybody's way, and Mrs Grove was quite able to do the honours for both. Mr Grove was a man whom it was not difficult to ignore, even in his own dining-room.

Indeed, the greatest kindness that could be shown to the poor little man in the circ.u.mstances, was to ignore him, and a great deal of this sort of kind feeling was manifested towards him by his guests.

On the first entrance of Arthur and Graeme, their host fastened on the former, renewing with great earnestness a conversation commenced in the morning in the young man's office. This did not last long, however.

The hostess had too high an opinion of Mr Elliott's powers of pleasing, to permit them to be wasted on her husband, so she smilingly carried him off, leaving Mr Grove, for the present, to the tender mercies of Graeme. He might have had a worse fate; for Graeme listened and responded with a politeness and interest, to which he was little accustomed from his wife's guests. Before he became unbearably tedious, she was rescued by Mr Ruthven, and Mr Grove went to receive Mr Elias Green, the great western merchant, a guest far more worthy of his attention than any of the fine ladies and gentlemen, who only knew him in the character of feast-maker, or as the stupid husband of his aspiring wife.

Graeme had seen Allan Ruthven often since that first night. They had spoken of the pleasant and painful things that had befallen them, since they parted so long ago, or they might not have been able to walk so quietly up and down the crowded rooms, as they did for a while. Then they found a quiet, or rather a noisy, corner in the music room, where they pursued their conversation unmolested, till Harry brought Miss Elphinstone to be introduced to Graeme.

This was a mutual pleasure, for Graeme wished to know the young lady who had long been Rosie's ideal of all that was sweet and beautiful, and Miss Elphinstone was as pleased to become the friend of one whom her cousins Allan and Charlie admired so much. And when she begged permission to call upon her and Rose, what could Graeme do, but be charmed more and more. Then Miss Elphinstone was claimed for another dance, and who should present himself again but their host, and with him the guest of the evening, the great western merchant! Then there were a few minutes not so pleasant, and then Mr Green proposed that they "should make the tour of the rooms." But Graeme had not the courage for such an ordeal, and smilingly begged to be excused; and so he sat down beside her, and by and by, Graeme was surprised to find herself interested in his conversation. Before he had been a great merchant.

Mr Green had been a farmer's boy among the hills of Vermont, and when he knew that Miss Elliott had pa.s.sed seven happy years in a New England village, he found enough to say to her; and Graeme listened and responded, well pleased.

She had one uncomfortable moment. It was when the supper movement began to be made, and the thought flashed upon her, that she must be led to the supper room, by this western giant. Mr Ruthven saved her from this, however, to the discontent of the giant, who had been so engaged in talking and listening, as not to have perceived that something interesting was about to take place. The sight of the freely flowing champagne gave Graeme a shock, but a glance at Harry rea.s.sured her.

There was no danger for him to-night. Yes, they had all enjoyed it, they acknowledged, as they lingered over the fire after their return.

"But, Arthur," said Graeme, "I was disappointed in Miss Grove. She is pretty, certainly, but there is something wanting--in expression I mean.

She looks good tempered, but not intellectual."

"Intellectual!" repeated Arthur. "No. One would hardly make use of that word in describing her. But she is almost the prettiest little thing I ever saw, I think."

"And she certainly is the silliest little thing I ever saw," said Harry.

"Rosie, if I thought you capable of talking such stuff, as I heard from her pretty lips to-night, _I_ would--"

Arthur laughed; less, it seemed, at what Harry had said, than at what it recalled.