A Victim of Circumstance Author:Geraldine Anthony Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3CHAPTER III MISS HARCOURT TREVOR'S dinner, which he gave in his own bachelor apartments, proved a great success, and launched Courtenay into the good graces of that influential matron ... more »Mrs. Collier, who acted as chaperon, and devoted herself to the menu with such enthusiasm that she quite overlooked the arbitrary manner in which the company had been seated. It was all very well to give the matron of the party to the guest of honor, but scandalous to place Mr. Floyd at her left hand, and to allot Miss Campbell to him for the evening, when every one knew that he preferred Miss Fielding, who fell to the share of Percy Townshend. Equally reprehensible was it in the host to take Margaret Bergen in to dinner, and then endeavor to monopolize his cousin Rose, whom he could see at any time, and who rightfully belonged to Percival. Notwithstanding all these risks, the conversation was unflagging, and Trevor had fresh cause to congratulate himself that he always did as he pleased. Removed from the restraint of the all-pervading eye of Madam Trevor, Miss Harcourt displayedconversational powers of a lively order, and chattered away to the diversion of her neighbors. " I really didn't think it best to talk much to you the other day,"she said to Percival, "for grandmamma had just been giving us both an awful lecture on the sin of staring at loungers, and—" " You needn't apologize," said Percival. * I saw that you had recognized my besetting weakness. But until you can suggest some worthy employment for my time, I fear I must continue to emulate the grasshopper. I can only promise you that I won't sing all the summer." " That's a concession," said Trevor. * But as Spriggy has never heard you sing, she can't appreciate it." " Roy is the only one of us whom grandmamma finds perfect. You had better apply to him...« less