Honour and Shame, a Novel

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. " The Melvilles arrived yesterday, I understand," said Mrs. Lorraine one morning shortly after her niece's arrival at Linnwood, as the family party were all assembled round the breakfast-table, " it would only be neighbourly to go to-day to call on such old friends. What do you think, my dear ?" " Certainly, my dear," replied her husband thus appealed to, " I should not wish to omit any attention to my old friend Mrs. Melville, who, though she may have some peculiarities, is in the main a most worthy, excellent woman. Her son too seemed a fine promising young man the last time I saw him, and everyone speakswell of him. Name any hour you like, my dear, for our visit, and I shall be ready to accompany you." " Let me see," said Mrs. Lorraine, " one would be too early, and three?three wouldbe the best'time; but I meant to be busy at three, and after that I should not have time to go and make myself comfortable before dinner. If I went at two 1 should not be home in time for my business. I do not know how to manage it, Mr. Lorraine." " Nor I, my love, if, as you seem to intimate, no hour will suit you. We must defer our visit till to-morrow; I see no alternative." " Oh no, my dear, that will not answer at all. We must contrive it some way or other. Let me think again; I am to be busy at three?one is too early. I really do not know what to do " " If your business admitted of being done earlier, you might have it finished by three, mamma," said Rose. " True, very true, my love. I am glad you happened to think of that. We shall be ready at three then, and Rose, see, my dear, that you do not keep your papa waiting. He does not like it, you know." " Is Rose going?" said her father. " Yes, my dear, she was saying so before breakfast. Indeed I am not s...