CHAPTER XXV.

MISS AMEDROZ HAS SOME HASHED CHICKEN.

Clara felt herself to be a coward as the Aylmer Park carriage, which had been sent to meet her at the station, was drawn up at Sir Anthony Aylmer's door. She had made up her mind that she would not bow down to Lady Aylmer, and yet she was afraid of the woman. As she got out of the carriage, she looked up, expecting to see her in the hall; but Lady Aylmer was too accurately acquainted with the weights and measures of society for any such movement as that. Had her son brought Lady Emily to the house as his future bride, Lady Aylmer would probably have been in the hall when the arrival took place; and had Clara possessed ten thousand pounds of her own, she would probably have been met at the drawing-room door; but as she had neither money nor title,--as she in fact brought with her no advantages of any sort, Lady Aylmer was found stitching a bit of worsted, as though she had expected no one to come to her. And Belinda Aylmer was stitching also,--by special order from her mother. The reader will remember that Lady Aylmer was not without strong hope that the engagement might even yet be broken off. Snubbing, she thought, might probably be efficacious to this purpose, and so Clara was to be snubbed.

Clara, who had just promised to do her best to gain Lady Aylmer's opinion, and who desired to be in some way true to her promise, though she thoroughly believed that her labour would be in vain, put on her pleasantest smile as she entered the room. Belinda, under the pressure of the circumstances, forgetting somewhat of her mother's injunctions, hurried to the door to welcome the stranger. Lady Aylmer kept her chair, and even maintained her stitch, till Clara was half across the room. Then she got up, and, with great mastery over her voice, made her little speech.

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. What did Clara feel like?
2. Was she planning to bow down to Lady Aylmer?
3. How did she feel about her?
4. How did Clara arrive there?
5. How much would Clara need to be met at the drawing room door?
6. Was Clara rich?
7. Did she have a title?
8. What was Lady Alymer doing?
9. Was she alone?
10. Who was with her?
11. what was she doing?
12. What was Clara hoping to do?
13. Who rushed to the door?
14. Did Lady Alymer ever rise?
1. a coward
2. no
3. afraid of her
4. on the Aylmer Park carriage
5. ten thousand pounds
6. no
7. no
8. stitching a bit of worsted
9. no
10. Belinda Aylmer
11. stitching
12. that the engagement might be broke off.
13. Belinda
14. no