Read "Miss Marjoribanks" by Margaret Oliphant online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Miss Marjoribanks had so many things to think of next morning that she found her cousin, who was rather difficult to get rid of, much in her way: naturally the young man was briefless, and came on circuit for the name of the thing, and was quite disposed to dawdle the first morning, and attach himself to the active footsteps of Lucilla; and for her part, she had things to occupy her so very much more important. For one thing, one of Dr. Marjoribanks's little dinner-parties was to take place that evening, which would be the first under the new regime, and was naturally a matter of some anxiety to all parties. "I shall go down and ask Mrs. Chiley to come with the Colonel," said Lucilla. "I have always meant to do that. We can't have a full dinner-party, you know, as long as the house is so shabby; but I am sure Mrs. Chiley will come to take care of me. "
"To take care of you! -- in your father's house! Do you think they'll bite? " said the Doctor grimly; but as for Lucilla, she was quite prepared for that.