CITIES OF THE PLAIN
39
"His lordship will expect you in the billiard-room in half-an-hour. You will find your portmanteaus all right. They ^ere placed here directly they arrived an hour or so ago," remarked the footman as he withdrew.
"Then we must not lose any time, my dear Eveline. You will find I have brought a charming costume for you," said Boulton.
Notwithstanding sundry loving jokes and liberties we were soon ready to see the Earl, and as we entered the billiard-room, found he had three other gentlemen with him, all young fellows like himself, under twenty-five or thereabouts.
"How are you, my dears? Laura and Selina, how lovable you both look; and this, I suppose, is the charming
