There
had been a rise in the price of sugar, which, as preserving-time
was near, was a piece of intelligence to all our house-keeping
hearts, and would have been the natural topic if Lady Glenmire had
not been by. But we were not sure if the peerage ate preserves--
much less knew how they were made. At last, Miss Pole, who had
always a great deal of courage and savoir faire, spoke to Lady
Glenmire, who on her part had seemed just as much puzzled to know
how to break the silence as we were.
"Has your ladyship been to Court lately?" asked she; and then gave
a little glance round at us, half timid and half triumphant, as
much as to say, "See how judiciously I have chosen a subject
befitting the rank of the stranger."
"I never was there in my life," said Lady Glenmire, with a broad
Scotch accent, but in a very sweet voice. And then, as if she had
been too abrupt, she added: "We very seldom went to London--only
twice, in fact, during all my married life; and before I was
married my father had far too large a family" (fifth daughter of Mr
Campbell was in all our minds, I am sure) "to take us often from
our home, even to Edinburgh. Ye'll have been in Edinburgh, maybe?"
said she, suddenly brightening up with the hope of a common
interest. We had none of us been there; but Miss Pole had an uncle
who once had passed a night there, which was very pleasant.
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