A Heart's Bitterness — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

138 -. +A HEART'S BITTERNESS, gon with me, and I want you to be friends at once. I have _ cards for your aunt’s ball next week for her, and your great ~ ball to introduce your two cousins will come off next, I sup- ose. I shall follow with something—not a crush, but, I ope, very charming, and with musicale, for Miss Havi- land’s voice is exquisite.” When Violet descended from Lady Burton’s barouche at» the door she glanced up, and saw a charming face between the flowers in the drawing-room window. Edna, with a naive anxiety, had been looking out for them for an hour. Edna herself took off the pretty hat and the little gloves, and before Violet knew it, she was chatting away with the stranger, as one long known. ‘They went to the conservatory and discovered what flowers, even what colors, each loved best; to the music-room, and confided each to each what songs were dearest; they told what novels and poems of the season they had read, and what characters in each they liked best; and Edna had told Violet that of all things she liked painting; and Lady Burton had said she might have the dearest little studio, and might she paint Violet, ‘‘for I don’t mean to be very, very gay, you know,” said Hdna. ‘I mean to have some time to myself.” “« But you'll come to my entertainments, won’t you?” said Violet. ‘‘ And, when I get lonesome and sick of every- __ thing, may I come to your studio?” *« Let us see each other every day,” said Edna. | ‘¢Do you think you’d mind very much being very great friends with me?” said Violet. ‘‘Real, deep friends? I shail be a trouble, I fear, for I’m terribly low-spirited some- . times.” *‘ We'll do away with all that, and be the very dearest __. friends ever were known if you like,” said Edna, warmly. CHAPTER XXXV., ‘A MERE ACQUAINTANCE! CAN I BE NO MORE?” It was the evening of the Countess Montressor’s ball. No more splendid social event had been known in London for ‘years. sts Clare Hartington looked imperial in her stately dress of w the other bride, was radiant in a robe of white lace trimmed ite velvet and pearls. - Lady Grace Churchill, (G0) ~Eomichooks