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The Testing of Diana Mallory by Mrs. Humphry Ward
page 39 of 597 (06%)
lingered a few leisurely seconds, till everybody in the hall had had the
opportunity of marking her entrance. Then beckoned by Oliver Marsham,
she moved toward Diana.

"How do you do? I suppose you've had a long drive? Don't you hate
driving?"

And without waiting for an answer, she turned affectedly away, and took
a place at the tea-table where room had been made for her by two young
men. Reaching out a white hand, she chose a cake, and began to nibble it
slowly, her elbows resting on the table, the ruffles of white lace
falling back from her bare and rounded arms. Her look meanwhile, half
absent, half audacious, seemed to wander round the persons near, as
though she saw them, without taking any real account of them.

"What have you been doing, Alicia, all this time?" said Marsham, as he
handed her a cup of tea.

"Dressing."

An incredulous shout from the table.

"Since lunch!"

Miss Drake nodded. Lady Lucy put in an explanatory remark about a
"dressmaker from town," but was not heard. The table was engaged in
watching the new-comer.

"May we congratulate you on the result?" said Mr. Ferrier, putting up
his eye-glass.
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