"I wonder if it were a gentleman," thought Frank.
Julia's thoughts were similar, and she bit her lip, while Fanny's cheek
glowed with unwonted brilliancy as she quietly asked, "Pray, who was it
uncle?"
"It was Miss Woodburn who praised you so highly," answered Mr. Middleton.
Julia immediately asked, "And who was the other acquaintance?"
"Dr. Lacey," answered her uncle. "I spent three weeks at his house."
Without knowing it, Fanny drew nearer to her uncle and laid her hand on
his. He seemed dearer to her from the fact that he had spent so much time
with one whose image was ever before her, and whom she vainly fancied she
was trying to forget.
Frank noticed Fanny's manner, and interpreted it according to his fears.
"There's mischief here," thought he. "I hope this doctor lives in a good
locality for yellow fever."
"Is Dr. Lacey about to be married?" asked Julia.
"Married," repeated Mr. Middleton; "I should say matrimony was very far
from his thoughts at present. I fancied he had met with some
disappointment and I sometimes feared lest the fair, deceitful one were
one of my nieces. Can any one set me right on the subject?"
Mr. Middleton had no idea how painfully his words affected her who sat by
his side, and looked up so imploringly in his face, as if begging him to
stop. There was an embarrassing silence, which Julia presently broke, by
saying, "While Dr. Lacey was here, he and Fanny got up a flirtation; but
nothing serious will result from it, I reckon."
"It's Fanny's own fault, then, I imagine," said Mr. Middleton, laying his
hand on the head which had drooped lower and lower, until at last it
rested heavily on his knee.
Fanny made no reply; but when she lifted up her head there was something
so sad in the expression of her face that Mr. Middleton immediately
surmised that there was, or had been, something between Dr. Lacey and
Fanny more serious than a mere flirtation; so he very kindly changed the
conversation, which now turned upon indifferent subjects, until the supper
bell rang out its summons, when they all repaired to the dining room.
At the supper table Mr. Middleton and Frank were introduced to Mrs.
Carrington, Mr. Stanton and Raymond. Mrs. Carrington acknowledged her
introduction to Mr. Cameron merely by a haughty, disdainful bow. She had
learned from Kate that he was not married; and feeling indignant at the
deception he attempted to practice upon her, she resolved to treat him
with contempt. Accordingly, although seated opposite him, she deigned him
neither look nor word, but divided her time between laughing and
coquetting with Raymond, and trying the power of her charms upon Mr.
Middleton, who, she had been told, was a bachelor, and possessed of
unbounded wealth. With the old Indian, however, she made but little
headway; and Frank was right when he thought, "You'll get tired of that
play, madam; the game is too old to be caught with chaff." With Raymond
she succeeded better. He was delighted with her unusually flattering
notice; and ere supper was over he had, in Frank's estimation, made a
perfect fool of himself.