With a little jaunty flourish of the hand, he dusted the stray grains of snuff off his finger and thumb, and looked back again at the lawn-party, and became more absorbed in the diversions of his young friends than ever.
Lady Lundie stood her ground, plainly determined to force a serious expression of opinion from her brother-in-law.

Before she could speak again, Arnold and Blanche appeared together at the bottom of the steps.
"And when does the dancing begin ?" inquired Sir Patrick, advancing to meet them, and looking as if he felt the deepest interest in a speedy settlement of the question.
"The very thing I was going to ask mamma," returned Blanche.

"Is she in there with Anne?
Is Anne better ?" Lady Lundie forthwith appeared, and took the answer to that inquiry on herself.
"Miss Silvester has retired to her room.

Miss Silvester persists in being ill.

Have you noticed, Sir Patrick, that these half-bred sort of people are almost invariably rude when they are ill ?" Blanche's bright face flushed up.