No lady had received an offer, or anything remotely resembling one. Belle and Sherry were becoming desperate, and even Honor felt an uneasiness which she did not recognize as impatience. Ella too was uneasy, for reasons different from the others. The large ball was to be held that evening, and with their toilettes to prepare, the ladies required no other pastime but to help out a little with the decoration of the ballroom and continue wooing the host.It was Belle who organized the young group after breakfast to gather flowers. In vain did the Duchess tell her they usually just brought in pots from the greenhouse. She had already sent for baskets and shears, determined to destroy the rose garden. She garnered Clare to her side for the purpose of selection and a-cutting she would go. Lady Honor took no part in this outing. She went with a book to the drawing room and sat with it open all morning, though she did not turn any pages. Miss Sheridan was fidgety and ill-natured. She was by no means sure a mere afternoon in papers would set her curls bouncing as she liked, but on the other hand, it would be madness to let Belle have Clare to herself all morning.
