Haughton shall have my warmest
thanks for giving me such companionship; dear old fellow, he did not
forget my request." And stepping to Vaura, he hands her a bouquet of
sweet tea-roses, saying:
"You see, Miss Vernon, your Knight of the Lion Heart, as in days of
yore you dubbed me, has not forgotten the button-hole bouquets you
used to make as child hostess; it is not aesthetic, as from your
fingers; this is only from the basket of one of the people."
"_Merci_; as your unfashionably retentive memory bring me so much of
sweetness, then am I happy in your being unfashionable." And as she
fastened a few to her corsage, placing the remainder in a vase, she
continued: "See, god-mother dear, my sweet tea-roses with their
perfumed voice will remind us of our usual excursion on to-morrow."
"And may I know what this usual excursion is?" asked Trevalyon, as he
seated himself between his companions at table.
"Surely, yes," said Vaura; "one we almost invariably make on coming
abroad, should we be located at an hotel for many days, where they
don't as a rule, cater to one's olfactory nerves, we journey to some
of the conservatories and rob them of many odorous blossoms, to
brighten our temporary home; this time we carry a large order for
Haughton Hall, so large indeed, that I should not wonder; did the
vendors take us for market gardeners; robbing sweet sunny Paris to
brighten and perfume our London fog.
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