THE LADY OF FASHION. BY THE AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF A FLIRT," "THE ROSES," &c., &c. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 1856. 249.x.24. THE LADY OF FASHION. CHAPTER I. THERE were great festivities at Barnardiston Court, after Lady Caroline Barnardiston's appearance at church, and the county families had paid their respects to the bride. The young bride began to breathe a more congenial atmosphere, and her active propensities had scope to wreathe and twine themselves into multiplied shapes, when she emerged from her temporary "conventual" existence. She always considered that week devoted to a miserable family party on her first entrance into Barnardiston, the most VOL. II. B miserable portion of her life. She could only compare it to enclosing a giant in a quartbottle. She felt as poor Asmodeus must have felt when the enchanter condensed him into an atom of space. She would try and forget that dreadful incarceration. The time was arrived now to elevate her new home into public notice. A large scrambling place, like Barnardiston, required light, heat, society, amusements, a little elegant confusion, and a continuity of guests;-she would bring it all about. Her kind-hearted new relations had wooden heads, all of them; but she would set those heads in motion, and they should nod at her splendid fancies, like the china mandarins in the shop windows. That was all she wanted them to do: in other respects, they might retire from scenes uncongenial to their taste, and leave her to hold the helm. Mrs. Barnardiston retired quietly and thankfully from scenes of gaiety which were not suited to her Parties in the house overpowered her spirits and understanding; she could not comprehend exertions, day after day, which led to nothing but fatigue and unnecessary expense, when four or five dinnerparties were quite sufficient to satisfy Sussex society. Lady Caroline must have the house in a continual uproar, and Mr. Barnardiston was in a fog which would never clear away, while she had such influence over him. If they all went to Brighton for a few weeks, it would release Barnardiston from perpetual commotion; but she could not understand the pleasure of unceasing gaiety, and restless eagerness after fresh faces. If her son could have fancied a less lovely person, and delighted in a wife of domestic habits, the home circle would have remained unbroken; but there, it was useless recurring to the past. The only thing for her own waning comfort, was to get out of the way as much as possible, and consider herself banished. There was but one opinion among the Sussex côteries respecting Lady Caroline, after a few months' acquaintance with her ladyship. Such a sweet pretty face, and such remarkably |
