Since the party at Mrs. Grandon's, Mrs. Cameron had been very kind and gracious to Helen, while Juno, who understood that Helen believed her engaged to Mark, treated her with far more attention than before, and now both kept near to her, chatting familiarly, Mrs. Cameron about the opera, and Juno the matinée, to which they were to take her, without waiting for Katy. Helen's success at the party, together with Mrs. Banker's and Sybil's evident determination to bring her forward, had taught them that she could not well be longer ignored, and as Juno did not greatly dread her as a rival now, she could afford to be gracious; and she was, making herself so agreeable that Helen observed the change, imputing it to the fact that Mark had probably returned to his allegiance, and blaming herself for having unwittingly wounded Juno by receiving his attentions. The belief that she was adding to another's happiness made it easier to bear the pang, which would make itself felt whenever she recalled the kindly manner, the handsome face, and more than all the expressive eyes, which had looked whole volumes into hers; and Helen quite enjoyed her first dinner party at the Camerons, though she began to wish, with Katy, that the gentlemen would join them.
They came at last, and Father Cameron drew his chair close to Katy's side, laying his hand on her little soft, warm one, giving it a squeeze as the bright face glanced lovingly into his. Father Cameron was a milder, gentler man than he was before Katy came, going much oftener into society, and not so frequently shocking his wife with expressions and opinions which she held as heterodox. Katy had a softening influence over him, and he loved her as well perhaps as he had ever loved his own children.
"Better," Juno said, and now she touched Bell's arm, to have her see "how father was petting Katy."
But Bell did not care, while Wilford was pleased, and drew himself nearer the chair, standing just behind it, so that Katy could not see him as he smoothed her curly head, and said, half indifferently, "Now for the all-important name. What shall we call our daughter?"
"Let your mother speak first," Katy said, and thus appealed to Mrs. Cameron came up to Wilford and expressed her preference for Margaret, as being a good name--an aristocratic name, and her own.
"Yes, but not half so pretty and striking as Rose Marie," Juno chimed in.
"Rose Mary! Thunder!" Father Cameron exclaimed. "Call her a marygold, or a sunflower, just as much. Don't go to being fools by giving a child a heathenish name. Give us your opinion, Katy."