Page:Outlawandlawmak00praegoog.djvu/94

82 Mrs. Jem received her principal guests on the verandah facing the courtyard, and herself conducted them to the drawing-room. It was her great aim to be considered English, and she always made a great deal of Lord Horace, who was at his best on these occasions, and imported something of the British country-house element into these bush gatherings. She had been accustomed to rather patronize the Valliant girls in the days before Ina's marriage, and it had been at her house that Lord Horace first met Ina. She, therefore, took credit to herself for the match.

"I am so glad you came, dear. Thank you both, love, for your good wishes. Wasn't it a happy idea putting the races on to our wedding day? Of course we couldn't possibly have had them at the election time. Oh, such a pity, isn't it, about Frank? We had made so sure. But he is quite certain to get in for Wallaroo, and we must just make the best of Mr. Blake, who is quite charming. Such a pity he is on the wrong side, but Jem says, Elsie, that you must convert him."

Mrs. Jem had quite a number of people already assembled when the Gages and Miss Valliant arrived. Jem Hallett was a handsome, rather heavy squatter, excessively good-natured, but not as clever and enterprising as his brother. He was far too lazy to go into politics, and contented himself with having the best breed of cattle on the Luya.

Mrs. Jem interrupted her husband's heavy jokes, and sent him off to look after the gentlemen and bring them in to tea. Her drawing-room looked extremely English, with its daintily laid tea-table, and pretty silver things, and with its art muslin draperies, and upholstered lounges and armchairs. Several ladies were sitting there, and others were playing about in the verandah and on the tennis lawn. Those in the drawing-room were for the most part matrons, and among them were one or two Leichardt's Town magnates—Lady Garfit, the wife of the Minister for Lands, and her daughter; there was pretty Mrs. Allanby, who gave