ed:

'You've got out of it at any rate, Nuttie!'

'I hope not!'

'Well, then, the look of it! I never saw any one so improved! Isn't
she, Aunt Alice? She's grown, I declare! Yes'--measuring herself
against her cousin--'I was a leetle bit taller when you came, and now
you've got above me! and what a duck of a way of doing your hair! You
must show me! I must tell May there's no fear of your being taken for
one another now; Aunt Margaret will be quite surprised.'

It was true that Ursula had developed a good deal during the last year,
and, under the experienced hands of Martin, had lost her schoolgirl
air, and turned into a young lady capable of becoming the Paris outfit
which her father had enjoined. Without positive beauty, she was a
pleasing, intelligent, animated girl, with the reputation of being an
heiress, with a romance in the background, and there was nothing to
prevent her from being a success. The family connections, with Lady
Kirkaldy to set the example, had determined on giving full support to
Mrs. Egremont, and, as of course every one liked to look at so lovely a
face, the way of both was smoothed in a manner that delighted her
husband when they encountered any of those who had looked coldly on her
at Nice.

He would have had her presented, but her own reluctance and the united
counsels of Lady Kirkaldy and the Canoness prevailed on him to drop the
idea; and then there was a fight with Ursula, who declared that she
would not go to court if her mother did not; but she was overruled at
last by that mother's tears at her defiance; and let herself be
presented, together with Blanche, by Lady Kirkaldy.

To Ursula it was altogether a strange time, full of the same kind of
reckless swing and sense of intoxication that had possessed her at
Bridgefield. Not that there was an excessive amount of actual gaiety.
Hot rooms and late hours were soon found not to agree with Mrs.
Egremont. She looked faded and languid after evening parties; and, as
her husband really cared more to have her ready to wait upon him and
amuse him than for anything else, he did not insist on her going out
more than might be needful to establish her position, or when it suited
him to show her off. The other purposes were quite as well served by
letting Ursula go out with Lady Kirkaldy, who was warmly interested in
mother and daughter, glad of a companion for Blanche, and still more
glad of a companion for herself. For she was not