"Very much," said Molly, cheering up a little. "Do you know her?"
"Oh, I've seen her over and over again when she was a little girl,
and once or twice since. She's the prettiest creature that you ever
saw; and with eyes that mean mischief, if I'm not mistaken. But
Clare kept her spirit under pretty well when she was staying with
us,--afraid of her being troublesome, I fancy."
Before Molly could shape her next question, they were at the church;
and she and Lady Harriet went into a pew near the door to wait for
the bride, in whose train they were to proceed to the altar. The earl
drove on alone to fetch her from her own house, not a quarter of a
mile distant. It was pleasant to her to be led to the hymeneal altar
by a belted earl, and pleasant to have his daughter as a volunteer
bridesmaid. Mrs. Kirkpatrick in this flush of small gratifications,
and on the brink of matrimony with a man whom she liked, and who
would be bound to support her without any exertion of her own, looked
beamingly happy and handsome. A little cloud came over her face at
the sight of Mr. Preston,--the sweet perpetuity of her smile was
rather disturbed as he followed in Mr. Gibson's wake. But his face
never changed; he bowed to her gravely, and then seemed absorbed in
the service. Ten minutes, and all was over. The bride and bridegroom
were driving together to the Manor-house, Mr. Preston was walking
thither by a short cut, and Molly was again in the carriage with my
lord, rubbing his hands and chuckling, and Lady Harriet, trying to
be kind and consolatory, when her silence would have been the best
comfort.
Molly found out, to her dismay, that the plan was for her to return
with Lord Cumnor and Lady Harriet when they went back to the Towers
in the evening. In the meantime Lord Cumnor had business to do with
Mr. Preston, and after the happy couple had driven off on their
week's holiday tour, she was to be left alone with the formidable
Lady Harriet. When they were by themselves after all the others had
been thus disposed of, Lady Harriet sate still over the drawing-room
fire, holding a screen between it and her face, but gazing intently
at Molly for a minute or two. Molly was fully conscious of this
prolonged look, and was trying to get up her courage to return the
stare, when Lady Harriet suddenly said,--
"I like you;--you are a little wild creature, and I want to tame you.
Come here, and sit on this stool by me. What is your name? or what do
they call you?--as North-country people would express it."