"
Now that was so exactly the thought that was running riot in my own
tormented mind, that I flew at her like a wild cat, asking her how she
dared to say anything so abominably wicked, and telling her to take her
notice there and then.
But hardly had she left the room, when my heart was in my mouth again,
and I was trembling with fear lest she should take me at my word and
then the last of my friends would be gone.
FIFTY-EIGHTH CHAPTER
Within the next few days the house-party arrived. There would be twenty
of them at least, not counting valets and ladies' maids, so that large
as Castle Raa was the house was full.
They were about equally divided as to sex and belonged chiefly to my
husband's class, but they included Mr. Eastcliff's beautiful wife,
Camilla, and Alma's mother, who, much to Alma's chagrin, had insisted
upon being invited.
My husband required me to receive them, and I did so, though I was only
their nominal hostess, and they knew it and treated me accordingly.
I should be ashamed to speak of the petty slights they put upon me, how
they consulted Alma in my presence and otherwise wounded my pride as a
woman by showing me that I had lost my own place in my husband's house.
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