Three Bright Girls: A Story of Chance and Mischance

That quarter of an hour before dinner, which to people who are used to it is generally rather a bore than otherwise, is quite an amusement to Doris, whose only experience of din...

"Here, Doris, you just sheer off to your own side and pick up your own, if you've got the pluck to risk burning those white fingers of yours;" and casting contemptuous glances a...

Another year has passed, and on a hot lazy afternoon in August a group may be seen lounging on the lawn of the Rookery, under the shade of one or two fine old trees.

A few afternoons later Honor and Molly are both seated at work under the weeping ash, but the weather being hotter than ever they have retired to the very back of the natural ar...

After a day of rush and bustle for every one in the house alike, the hour of eight, at which the guests have been invited, at length arrives, and whilst Mrs. Merivale receives t...

The time soon flies past, every one being in a whirl of excitement which passes Mrs. Merivale's comprehension. But at last the day before that fixed for the party arrives, and t...

The dresses for the ball have all been finished off satisfactorily, and now that the evening of the 10th has really arrived, the three girls are standing in the drawing-room, pr...

It is a lovely, warm day at the beginning of June, and Doris, having made the beds in conjunction with Molly, and afterwards drifted round the rooms with a duster in a desultory...

It is ten o'clock in the morning, and Mr. Merivale, senior partner of Merivale, Waymark, & Co., bankers, is seated at the table in his own private room, meditating an attack upo...

Two years have sped quickly, and it is once more a warm, lovely day in June. The French windows of the Rookery sitting-room are wide open, letting in the still, summer air, and...

The month of June goes on auspiciously both out-of-doors and in at the Rookery. Besides having brought the rose-trees to a state of perfection, which charms and delights the Mr....

The two days have quickly flown, and the family have all settled down into their places in the new house, which Honor's and Molly's busy fingers have rendered not only habitable...

When Honor opens her eyes again it is to find herself on her own bed, with kind Miss Denison leaning over her, bathing her forehead and temples with _eau de Cologne_. Molly stan...

After a tolerably satisfactory interview with Mrs. Phips and her granddaughter Becky, Honor at length returns home, where she finds unusual excitement reigning, all sorts of une...

When Doris gets home she finds them all seated at dinner, partaking of the pea-soup, which appears to be popular. Honor and Molly seem to be rather elated about something concer...

It is ten o'clock on one of those warm balmy mornings which in this erratic climate of ours sometimes come upon us in the month of February. The bushes and hedges, and even some...

The next morning breaks dismally enough outside. The streets are thickly carpeted with snow, which has fallen plenteously and almost without cessation during the previous night....

On arriving at the Rosery the next morning Honor finds the two old gentlemen waiting in the garden to receive her, both in an unwonted state of excitement. For they have been ar...

All this time Daisy and Dr. John Sinclair continue to take their almost daily rides, greatly to the delight of the former if not the latter. Not that the young man feels one whi...

The message which Dr. Sinclair promised the Mr. Talboys is despatched about ten o'clock the same night by his own errand-boy, whom he has brought with him to the Rookery and ins...

Three weeks have passed, and Honor and Molly have just stepped out of the old station fly at the door of their new abode, possession of which they are to take that very day. The...

About a week after this Doris comes home, arriving in such wild spirits that the household, which has lately become a little dull, does not seem the same. Since Hugh's departure...

The day of the funeral has come and gone. The last fond look has been taken, and the last kiss given to the calm, placid face, so soon to be hidden from sight. And now the morta...

"Now I am fortunate," he says, putting one foot up on the lower plank of the stile. "I was just wishing for someone to communicate a piece of good news to; and lo! here is someo...

The next morning every one is on the _qui vive_ for the postman, for is it not Daisy's birthday! and will there not be mysterious packets, from the Horton's alone, enough to fil...

But before that day is out Honor finds that there are likely to be more troubles before her than the want of new boots. For Daisy, who has been trusted to the care of Dick and B...

In the meantime a very different conversation is being carried on in the study, whither Honor has gone to her father. Although Mr. Merivale has had some difficulty in making his...

Breakfast is considerably later than usual the next morning, in consequence of the gaieties of the previous night. Mrs. Merivale has therefore made an effort to be present on th...

Things go on quietly enough for some time, but as each day comes round it is pretty sure to bring with it some little trial and vexation; trifling in itself perhaps, but none th...

About an hour after the doctor has gone that morning the garden gate is rather hastily opened, and there is a ring at the door-bell. The Mr. Talboys, in the last stage of anxiet...

The three young people are just leaving the room, all deploring the protracted absence of the furniture vans, which the men had solemnly declared to Honor would be there by ten...

"Seventeen pounds ten! seventeen pounds ten!" mutters Honor to herself, as with paper and pencil in hand and with knitted brows she makes little notes, seated the while on a cor...

In the meantime a conversation of quite a different character is going on in the garden, under the drooping boughs of a fine old weeping-ash, the welcome shade of which is much...

That same afternoon Honor puts on her hat and walks into the village in search of a girl to take Jane's place, if such an individual can be found, which she privately doubts. Sh...

Just as Lady Woodhouse is about to take her departure two days later, the new domestic, Becky Phips, arrives, accompanied by her "gra'm'ther," who assists in carrying her small...

Mr. and Mrs. Merivale are still seated at the breakfast-table on the morning of the 27th, the former deep in his newspaper, the latter taking another glance through her letters....