Not Without Thorns

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Molesworth Mrs.. Not Without Thorns

Volume One – Chapter One. Sweet Seventeen

Volume One – Chapter Two. Mistakes

Volume One – Chapter Three. Sisters

Volume One – Chapter Four. Sisters-in-Law

Volume One – Chapter Five. Mutual Friends

Volume One – Chapter Six. Gerald’s Home-Coming

Volume One – Chapter Seven. Several People’s Feelings

Volume One – Chapter Eight. On the Brink

Volume One – Chapter Nine. At Winsley

Volume One – Chapter Ten “That Stupid Song.”

Volume Two – Chapter One Eavesdropping

Volume Two – Chapter Two. Plain Speaking

Volume Two – Chapter Three. At Wareborough

Volume Two – Chapter Four. Reaction

Volume Two – Chapter Five. As Fate would have it

Volume Two – Chapter Six. Sunshine

Volume Two – Chapter Seven. Fait Accompli

Volume Two – Chapter Eight. Lookers-on

Volume Two – Chapter Nine. A Short Honeymoon

Volume Two – Chapter Ten. Only Floss!

Volume Three – Chapter One. Roma’s Sentiments

Volume Three – Chapter Two. Home

Volume Three – Chapter Three. Visitors, Expected and Unexpected

Volume Three – Chapter Four “By the Spring.”

Volume Three – Chapter Five. The Last Straw

Volume Three – Chapter Six. Friends in Need

Volume Three – Chapter Seven. Roma to the Rescue

Volume Three – Chapter Eight. O si sic Omnia!

Volume Three – Chapter Nine. Insuperable Obstacles

Volume Three – Chapter Ten. From the Gates of the Grave

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There was not much conversation between Captain Chancellor and his partner during the quadrille, for Miss Laurence seemed a little afraid of her own voice in so public a position, and bestowed her attention principally on the rest of the performers. Immediately after the square dance, however, there came another waltz, for which Captain Chancellor, waxing bolder as his practised eye followed the girl’s graceful and well-balanced, though somewhat timid movements, took care to secure her. His hopes were not disappointed. She danced beautifully; and then, too, how pretty it was to see how she enjoyed it! He forgot all about Miss Eyrecourt and her unamiability.

“How well you dance! I can hardly believe you have not had much practice. With one or two very trifling alterations, your waltzing would be perfection,” he exclaimed.

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He spoke carelessly – his attention being in reality occupied with observing the pretty way in which Miss Laurence’s face and eyes brightened up when she was interested – and again something in his words or tone seemed to jar slightly on the girl’s sensitive perceptions, though almost before she realised the sensation, the charm of his manner or handsome face, or both together, had completely obliterated it.

And the evening passed very quickly to Eugenia, for the two or three dances in which Captain Chancellor was not her partner, yet seemed in some indescribable way pervaded by his presence. She watched him dancing with Miss Florence Harvey without a twinge of envy or misgiving, though it was evident that the young lady’s fascinations were all being played off for his edification; she did not even feel deserted when he spent at least a quarter of an hour in close conversation with Miss Eyrecourt, for his manner when he returned to her, or an instant’s glance when he caught her eye from another part of the room, satisfied her she was not forgotten, – seemed, indeed, intended tacitly to assure her that of his own free will he would not have spent any part of the evening away from her. She could hardly believe it; this strange new homage was bewildering even while delightful; she shrank from recognising it as a fact even to herself, and took herself to task for being “dreadfully conceited.” To her extreme inexperience and ignorance of the extent of her attractiveness, it seemed incredible that this “preux chevalier,” this nineteenth-century hero, as he appeared to her, should thus distinguish her, should seem so desirous of wearing her colours. And all sorts of pretty hazy dreams began to float across her imagination of enchanted ladies who, barely past the threshold of their windowless tower, had found the fairy prince already in waiting – sweet, silly old stories of “love at first sight” and such like, which, though charming enough in romance, she had hitherto been the first to make fun of as possible in real life.

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