“What a charming savage!  How ingenuous!”

[Sidenote:  Lord Valmond in Disgrace]

And then Lady Cecilia did a really nice thing, which shows that she is a brick, in spite of having bulgy eyes, and being absent and tiresome.  She came up to me as if nothing had happened, and said, “Come, Elizabeth, they are waiting for you to begin a round game,” and she put her arm through mine and drew me into the billiard-room, and on the way she squeezed my arm, and said, in a voice quite low down for her, “She deserved it,” and I was so touched I nearly cried.  From where I sat at the card-table I could see Mrs. Smith and Lord Valmond, and they were quarrelling.  She looked like green rhubarb juice, and he had the expression of “Damn!” all over him.

Of course I did not say good-night to him, and I hope I shall never see him again.—­Your affectionate daughter, Elizabeth.

300 EATON PLACE

300 Eaton Place,

Tuesday, 2nd August.

[Sidenote:  London out of Season]

Dearest Mamma,—­The train from Nazeby was so late and Aunt Mary seemed to think it was my fault—­so unreasonable of her, just because they had waited lunch for me.  I don’t believe I like visiting very near relations as much as ones further off.  They feel they can say anything to you.  I am glad I have only got to sleep here the one night.  I had not eaten my omelette before Aunt Mary began about my hair.  She said of course it was very nice curling like that, but it was a pity I did not wear a net over it all to keep it more tidy.  She was sure you spoilt me, even though we are rich, letting me have such smart clothes.  She had heard from Nazeby, that I had had on a fresh frock every day.  I don’t know who could have written to her.  She has got to look much older in the two years we have been abroad and the corners of her mouth shut with a snap.  Perhaps it is having to spend part of the year with her mother-in-law.

[Sidenote:  Cousinly Curiosity]

Lettice and Clara are just the same as they were, not a bit of difference since they came out.  They are as tidy as can be, not a hair escapes from their nets! and their heads look as if they had dozens of hairpins in them, and because it is out of the season they have gone back to their country high linen collars, and they look as if they were choking.  I hate linen collars, don’t you, Mamma?  Two Ethridge aunts are staying here besides me, and we all have to sit together in the morning-room, as everything is covered up in the drawing-rooms, ready for being shut up next week, when they go to Scotland.  After lunch the girls did nothing but question me about what we had done at Nazeby.  They said Lady Cecilia only asks them to the dullest parties.  They knew every one’s name, they had carefully read them in the Morning Post.  They wanted especially to know about Lord Valmond because Lettice had danced with him once this season.  They thought him awfully good-looking.  I said he was an odious young man and very rude.  So Lettice said she supposed he had not spoken to me, as he never speaks to girls.  I told them that was quite a mistake as he had spoken to me all the time, but I hated him.  And do you know, Mamma, they looked as if they did not believe a word I was saying; which was not very polite I think.