"Pray, rouse yourself," 'Lina whispered, "and not let them guess you
were never at a watering place before," and 'Lina thoughtfully smoothed
her mother's cap by way of reassuring her.
But even 'Lina herself quailed when she reached the door and caught a
glimpse of the busy life within, the terrible ordeal she must pass.
"Oh, for a pair of pantaloons to walk beside one, even if Hugh were in
them," she thought, as her own and her mother's lonely condition arose
before her.
"Courage, mother," she whispered again, and then advanced into the room,
growing bolder at every step, for with one rapid glance she had swept
the hall, and felt that amid that bevy of beauty and fashion there were
few more showy than 'Lina Worthington in her rustling dress of green,
with Ellen Tiffton's bracelet on one arm and the one bought with Adah's
money on the other.
Not having been an heiress long enough to know just what was expected of
her, and fancying it quite in character to domineer over every colored
person just as she did over Lulu, 'Lina issued her commands with a
dignity worthy of the firm of Mrs. Worthington & Daughter. Bowing
deferentially, the polite attendant quickly drew back her chair, while
she spread out her flowing skirts to an extent which threatened to
envelop her mother, sinking meekly into her seat, not confused and
flurried. But alas for 'Lina. The servant did not calculate the distance
aright, and my lady, who had meant to do the thing so gracefully, who
had intended showing the people that she had been to Saratoga before,
suddenly found herself prostrate upon the floor, the chair some way
behind her, and the plate, which, in her descent, she had grasped
unconsciously, flying off diagonally past her mother's head, and
fortunately past the head of her mother's left-hand neighbor.
Poor 'Lina! How she wished she might never get up again.
At first, 'Lina thought nothing could keep her tears back, they gathered
so fast in her eyes, and her voice trembled so that she could not answer
the servant's question: "Soup, madam, soup?"
But he of the white hand did it for her.
"Of course she'll take soup," then in an aside, he said to her gently:
"Never mind, you are not the first lady who has been served in that way.
It's quite a common occurrence."
There was something reassuring in his voice, and turning toward him for
the first time, 'Lina caught the gleam of the golden glasses, and knew
that her vis-à-vis upstairs was also her right-hand neighbor. Who was
he, and whom did he so strikingly resemble? Suddenly it came to her.
Saving the glasses, he was very much like Hugh. No handsomer, not a
whit, but more accustomed to society, easier in his manners and more
gallant to ladies. Could it be Irving Stanley? she asked herself,
remembering now to have heard that he did resemble Hugh, and also that
he wore glasses. Yes, she was sure, and the red which the doctor had
pronounced "well put on," deepened on her cheeks, until her whole face
was crimson with mortification, that such should have been her first
introduction to the aristocratic Irving.