What pains you must have taken in furnishing it! I never saw such nice curtains anywhere else.

And that little screen--I _am_ so fond of that screen!' 'It was a wedding present from an old friend,' Emmeline replied, complacently regarding the object, which shone with embroidery of many colours.
'Will you help me when _I_ furnish _my_ drawing-room ?' Louise asked sweetly.

And she added, with a direct look, 'I don't think it will be very long.' 'Indeed ?' 'I am going to marry Mr.Bowling.' Emmeline could no longer feel astonishment at anything her guest said or did.

The tone, the air, with which Louise made this declaration affected her with a sense of something quite unforeseen; but, at the same time, she asked herself why she had not foreseen it.

Was not this the obvious answer to the riddle?
All along, Louise had wished to marry Mr.Bowling.She might or might not have consciously helped to bring about the rupture between Mr.Bowling and Miss Higgins; she might, or might not, have felt genuinely reluctant to take advantage of her half-sister's defeat.