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Burnett, Frances Hodgson, 1849-1924

"The Head of the House of Coombe"

It was
the point where Robin stood with a small growing circle about her.
It was George who danced with her first. He was tall and slender
and flexible and his good shoulders had a military squareness of
build. He had also a nice square face, and a warmly blue eye and
knew all the latest steps and curves and unexpected swirls. Robin
was an ozier wand and there was no swoop or dart or sudden sway
and change she was not alert at. The swing and lure of the music,
the swift movement, the fluttering of airy draperies as slim sister
nymphs flew past her, set her pulses beating with sweet young joy.
A brief, uncontrollable ripple of laughter broke from her before
she had circled the room twice.
"How heavenly it is!" she exclaimed and lifted her eyes to Halwyn's.
"How heavenly!"
They were not safe eyes to lift in such a way to those of a very
young man. They gave George a sudden enjoyable shock. He had
heard of the girl who was a sort of sublimated companion to his
grandmother. The Duchess herself had talked to him a little about
her and he had come to the party intending to behave very amiably
and help the little thing enjoy herself. He had also encountered
before in houses where there were no daughters the smart well-born,
young companion who was allowed all sorts of privileges because
she knew how to assume tiresome little responsibilities and how
to be entertaining enough to add cheer and spice to the life of
the elderly and lonely.


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