Page:Alice Lauder.pdf/128

just swimming in it; but the daughters are very plain, poor things—six of them, too. However, we had quite a nice talk, and it was a relief to have some real conversation after that everlasting chitter-chatter of this little place. Fancy, he told me that Lord Lancey has broken off his engagement with that barmaid sort of girl he got engaged to, and also that Mrs. Winkes, who was all the rage in London last year, has gone off so terribly that she has had to dye her hair, and it is thought that she enamels her complexion now, for she has never smiled again—for fear of its cracking, we suppose.”

“Ah, well, it is a comfort to have a little intellectual conversation with a London man again. But didn’t he talk about India at all?”

“No, he hadn’t time. But I was hearing from some one else about him. Let me see, was it Mr. Granby, or that other man with the red nose? No, I think it must have been our host. He was very attentive, too, and took me into refreshment ever so often—and they really did things well. I had some capital pistachio cream. I think the Granbys are a nice quiet family, Alice, though you do make fun of them. Yes, and what was I going to tell you about?”

“Oh, about India, perhaps. I was wondering how Mr. Campbell has got on.”