Читать книгу Three Bright Girls. A Story of Chance and Mischance онлайн

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"I couldn't come and speak to you before," he explains, "for your father and the rector pinned me at the other end of the room and dragged me into a political discussion."

"O, I am so glad I am to sit beside you!" exclaims Doris with genuine pleasure. "I was dreadfully afraid it would be Captain Hall; and he is so stupid, you know. It takes him about five minutes to get out the most ordinary remarks with his silly affected drawl."

"Now, Doris;" and Lady Woodhouse turns to leave the room, closely followed by Colonel Danvers and her niece, Mrs. Merivale and Sir Peter Beresford bringing up the rear. As Doris and the colonel turn the corner of the stairs a smart wrap on the former's head causes them to look up to the flight above, where they descry Molly, armed with a battledore, hanging over the balustrade. "Hush! don't say anything. How is Doris behaving?" she says with breathless inconsistency. Colonel Danvers looks up laughingly and nods a greeting. "O, pretty well, considering;" and Doris adds, "Do go away, Molly. Did you actually dare to rap my head with that thing?" But Molly, seeing that her mother is close at hand, disappears mysteriously, and there is much scuffling and giggling heard on the next landing, where evidently the others are collected also.