She could only feel thankful to
have been forgiven for her own offence.
When they met at dinner, all were formal, Algernon stiff and haughty,
ashamed, but too grand to betray himself, and Lucy restless and
uneasy, her eyes looking as if she had been crying. When Maurice
came in at dessert, the fourth part of his countenance emulating the
unlucky cast in gorgeous hues of crimson and violet, Algernon was
startled, and turning to Albinia, muttered something about 'never
having intended,' and 'having had no idea.'
He might have said more, if Mr. Kendal, with Maurice on his knee, had
not looked as if he expected it; and that look sealed Albinia's lips
against expressing regret for the provocation; but Maurice exclaimed,
'Never mind, Algernon, it was all fair, and it doesn't hurt now. I
wouldn't have touched your image, but that I wanted to know what you
would do to me. Shake hands; people always do when they've had a
good mill.'
Mr. Kendal looked across the table to his wife in a state of
unbounded exultation in his generous boy, and Albinia felt infinitely
relieved and grateful. Mr. Cavendish Dusautoy took the firm young
paw, and said with an attempt at condescension, 'Very well, Maurice,
the subject shall be mentioned no more, since you have received a
severer lesson than I intended, and appear sensible of your error.'
'It wasn't you that made me so,' began Maurice, with defiant eye; but
with a strong sense of 'let well alone,' his father cut him short
with, 'That's enough, my man, you've said all that can be wished,'
lifted him again on his knee, and stopped his mouth with almonds and
raisins.
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