Vere of Ours, the Eighth or King's (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1878. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. THE BALL. We have referred to a ball as the occasion on which a breach "was openly made between Sir Ayling and Rosamund. She and Gertrude--her sisters were on a visit to her--arrayed in all their glory--and splendid indeed the girls looked when they left their rooms, radiant with youth, beauty, and gems, each with a light shawl over her snowy shoulders--met in the drawing-room to await the more mature Maud, who took longer in dressing, or 'making up, ' as she would have termed it in any one else; and Gertrude began to improve the occasion by one of her little lectures, under which Rosamund began to writhe impatiently now. 'If Desborough is there to-night you will avoid him, of course?' 'Avoid--do you think I mean to follow him?' asked Rosamund petulantly, fanning herself as she stood under the gaselier, the light of which shone down on her, flushing her golden hair, her exquisite, yet unsatisfied, face, and her richly-laced ball-dress. 'Do not dance with him more than once, even if at all; for people will talk, and are talking, I fear, of you both.' 'Let them talk.' 'Dearest, dearest, don't say so ' 'I do, Gerty, ' replied Rosamund, becoming defiant; 'what would you have me to say?' 'I would have you to remember that you are the wife of Sir Ayling Aldwinkle.' 'I am not likely to forget that unpleasant fact, ' said Rosamund, tapping the floor with her tiny foot, and taking a side glance at herself in the mirror above the fireplace; 'but he outrages me by his correspondence with--you know whom I mean.' 'But you must not outrage yourself and the memory of your father.' 'True, ' said the girl sadly. 'Oh, had poor papa lived, I should not have been to-night the victim that I am, and the subject of so many weary lectures. But who can the woman be that ...