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Burnett, Frances Hodgson, 1849-1924

"The Head of the House of Coombe"

Sometimes she was a subtly appealing sort
of girl and given to being sympathetic and to liking sympathy and
quiet corners in conservatories or libraries, and sometimes she
was capable of scientific flirtation and required scientific
management. A man had to have his wits about him. This one as she
flew like a blown leaf across the floor and laughed up into his
face with wide eyes, produced a new effect and was a new kind.
"It's you who are heavenly," he answered with a boy's laugh. "You
are like a feather--and a willow wand."
"You are light too," she laughed back, "and you are like steel as
well."
Mrs. Alan Stacy, the lady with the magnificent henna hair, had
recently given less time to him, being engaged in the preliminary
instruction of a new member of the Infant Class. Such things will,
of course, happen and though George had quite ingenuously raged
in secret, the circumstances left him free to "hover" and hovering
was a pastime he enjoyed.
"Let us go on like this forever and ever," he said sweeping half
the length of the room with her and whirling her as if she were
indeed a leaf in the wind, "Forever and ever."
"I wish we could. But the music will stop," she gave back.
"Music ought never to stop--never," he answered.
But the music did stop and when it began again almost immediately
another tall, flexible young man made a lightning claim on her
and carried her away only to hand her to another and he in his
turn to another.


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