Both for her own sake and as an heiress she
was made a deal of, and, though she had been but two months in
town, she had already taken her place as one of the recognised
belles of the season.
Lady Greendale had a dinner party on the day when Major Mallett
called, and was discussing with Bertha whom they could invite to
fill up at such short notice a vacancy which had occurred.
"You come at the right moment, Frank," she said, after they had
chatted for some time. "We were lamenting just now that we had
received this morning a note from a gentleman who was coming to
dine with us today, saying that he could not come; but now I regard
it as most fortunate, for of course we want you to come to us at
once. I suppose you have not made any engagements yet. We shall be
sixteen with you, and I think they are all nice people."
"I shall be very happy to come," he said. "I have certainly no
engagements. I looked in at the club last night. It was my first
appearance there, for my name only came up for election four months
ago, and I should have felt very uncomfortable if I had not
happened to meet two or three old friends. One of them asked me to
dinner for tomorrow.
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