One of the young ladies took it up, and ran her
eye over it, with a start.
"The Sacred Concerts!" she exclaimed.
Her two sisters, standing by, looked at each other guiltily: "What will
the Committee say to us? We entirely forgot the meeting last month."
"Is there a meeting this month?"
They all looked anxiously at the printed letter.
"Yes! The twenty-third of December. Put it down in your book, Amelia."
Amelia, then and there, put it down among the engagements for the latter
end of the month. And Natalie's unacknowledged husband placidly looked
on.
So did the merciless irony of circumstances make Launce the innocent
means of exposing his own secret to discovery. Thanks to his success
in laying his hand on the wrong music-book, there would now be a
meeting--two good days before the elopement could take place--between
the lord's daughters and the rector's wife!
The guests of the evening began to appear by twos and threes. The
gentlemen below stairs left the dinner-table, and joined them.
The small drawing-room was pleasantly filled, and no more.
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