A
little firmness now, and the fresh start is before you."
Cecil sighed, feeling that she was paying a heavy price for that
fresh start, but her hands were too full for much thought. Guests
came to dinner, Mrs. Poynsett kept more to her own room, and Raymond
exerted himself to talk, so that the blank of the evenings was less
apparent. The days were spent at the town-hall, where the stalls
were raised early enough for all the ladies, their maids and
footmen, to buzz about them all day, decking them out.
Mrs. Duncombe was as usual the guiding spirit, contriving all with a
cleverness that made the deficiencies of her household the more
remarkable. Conny and Bee Strangeways were the best workers, having
plenty of experience and resource, and being ready to do anything,
however hard, dusty, or disagreeable; and to drudge contentedly,
with plenty of chatter indeed, but quite as freely to a female as to
a male companion; whereas Miss Moy had a knot of men constantly
about her, and made a noise which was a sore trial to Cecil's heavy
spirit all the first day, exclusive of the offence to her native
fastidiousness.
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