Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 91: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A DECLARATION. | 87 “ How is your friend this morning ?” “Addie? poor child! she is laid up with a wretched headache: the dancing and excitement were too much for her. Mrs. Loring was obliged to go out early to her dressmaker, and as Addie is compelled to keep very quiet in a darkened room, I was having quite a solitary time of if when you were announced,” Gladys explained. Geoffrey was secretly delighted at this, although sorry for Miss Loring’s indisposition. The coast was clear, so to speak, for him, and yet, now that everything seemed so propitious for his suit, he al- most feared to pug his fate to the test. “T regret your friend’s illness,” he said, “but you are ° bright and fresh as if you had not lost an hour of sleep.” “Ves, I do net feelin the least wearied,” Gladys re- turned, “and I had a most delightful time. But the best of all was to have you here, Geoff. I began to fear my evening was to be spoiled, you were so late.” “Was my presence so necessary to your enjoyment?” the young man earnestly questioned, a quick flush rising to his brow, as he searched her lovely face. “Indeed it was; I had set my heart upon having you here—it was almost my first appearance in society, you know. How did I behave, Geoffrey ?—like a novice?” Gladys asked, archly. ‘‘No, indeed; you were quite the woman of the world, and entertained your admirers as composedly as if you had been accustomed to such homage fop many a season. Do you imagine that you would enjoy a fashionable life, Gladys?” “T think I would enjoy social life, to a certain extent, but I would not care to devote all my time to keeping up style, or to live in a fashionable whirl continually,” she replied, thoughtfully. “And yet you are eminently fitted for just that kind of a life,” Geoffrey said, thinking how few there were who could compare with her. “How so?” she asked, flushing slightly. “You are beautiful and graceful; you have winning manners and a cultivated mind; you would shine any- where,” he answered, an earnest thrill in his voice. “Flatterer! not one of my ‘admirers,’ last night, paid me sucha fribute as that,” retorted the fair girl, witha merry laugh, “and it is quite unusual, I believe, for one’s brother to be so complimentary.” GOMmIGbDoo S (E(0) =)