You won't mind if I am not home quite early?
We all mean to dine there at the kitchen.

The girls will bring something, and then we can stay out the whole afternoon." "It won't do for you to be out after nightfall, Clara." "No, I won't, mamma.

They did want me to go home with them to Castle Richmond for to-morrow night; but I declined that," and Clara uttered a slight sigh, as though she had declined something that would have been very pleasant to her.
"And why did you decline it ?" "Oh, I don't know.

I didn't know whether you would like it; and besides--" "Besides what ?" "You'd be here all alone, mamma." The countess got up from her chair and coming over to the place where her daughter was sitting, kissed her on her forehead.

"In such a matter as that, I don't want you to think of me, my dear.