Page:Ethel Churchill 1.pdf/98

92 of Constance. Neither had Constance the natural talents of Ethel; she was deficient in all powers of conversation. Accustomed to be repressed and neglected, she lacked courage to say what she thought. What a change from the sweet, uncurbed vivacity of Ethel, whose thoughts sprang directly from the heart into utterance! At length, however, the evening wore away; and, after kindly assisting his cousin across the galley, Norbourne hurried to his mother's dressing-room: she was just going in, as he asked admission to tell all his adventures. "Not to-night, my beloved child: you must be tired: not to-night." She leant forward to kiss his forehead: he started at the touch, for her lips were cold as ice.