'
'Or if she had remembered it,' said Anne, 'judging by Lizzie, she
would have said the same thing; she would have taken it for granted
that the present company was always excepted.'
'Captain Atherley was not of the present company,' said Lady Merton,
'he was in the Mediterranean; and it happened that he had not had
time to call at Merton Hall in due form, the last time he had been at
home, so that poor Helen thought that this speech was aimed at him.
She said nothing at the time; but next morning arrived a note to me,
to entreat me to find out what her darling Henry could possibly have
done to offend dearest Katherine Merton, for she should be wretched
till she understood it, and Katherine had forgiven her and him. She
assured me that she had lain awake all night, thinking it over, and
had at last come to the conclusion that it must be this unfortunate
omission, and she promised to write to dear Henry immediately, to
make him send all possible apologies.'
'Poor Captain Atherley!' exclaimed Anne; 'and what could my aunt
say?'
'Unfortunately,' said Lady Merton, 'both she and I had entirely
forgotten the speech, and could not guess what could have given rise
to Helen's imaginations.
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