"Indisputable," said Raymond; "but this frank contained a letter
from the second Sir Robert to my father."
Mrs. Poynsett made a sign of acquiescence, and Cecil pouted in her
dignified way, though Mrs. Poynsett tried to improve matters by
saying, "Then it appears that Miss Strangeways will have a series of
Peel autographs, all in fact but the first generation."
Common sense showed she was right, but Cecil still felt
discontented, for she knew she had been resisted and confuted, and
she believed it was all Mrs. Poynsett's doing instead of Raymond's.
And she became as mute as Anne for the next half-hour, nor did
either Raymond or his mother venture on starting any fresh topic,
lest there might be fresh jarring.
Only Anne presently came up to Mrs. Poynsett and tenderly purred
with her over some little preparation for Miles.
Certainly Anne was the most improved in looks of all the three
brides, who had arrived just a year ago. The thin, scraggy Scotch
girl, with the flabby, washed-out look alternating with angular
rigidity was gone, but the softening and opening of her expression,
the light that had come into her eyes, and had made them a lovely
blue instead of pale gray; the rose-tint on her cheeks, the delicate
rounded contour of her face, the improved carriage of her really
fine figure, the traces of style in the braiding of her profuse
flaxen hair, and the taste that was beginning to conquer in the
dress, were all due to the thought that the Salamanca might soon be
in harbour.
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