For the month of August, his
two plain strapping sisters (Hermione and Ursula alas!) always came to
stay with him. They liked pigs and dogs and otter-hunting and
mutton-chops, and were rather a discordant element in Riseholme. But
Georgie had a kind heart, and never even debated whether he should ask
Hermy and Ursy or not, though he had to do a great deal of tidying up
after they had gone.
There was always a playful touch between the meetings of these two when
either of them had been away from Riseholme that very prettily
concealed the depth of Georgie's supposed devotion, and when she came
out into the garden where her Cavalier and her husband were waiting for
their tea under the pergola, Georgie jumped up very nimbly and took a
few chassee-ing steps towards her with both hands outstretched in
welcome. She caught at his humour, made him a curtsey, and next moment
they were treading a little improvised minuet together with hands held
high, and pointed toes. Georgie had very small feet, and it was a
really elegant toe that he pointed, encased in cloth-topped boots. He
had on a suit of fresh white flannels and over his shoulders, for fear
of the evening air being chilly after this hot day, he had a little
cape of a military cut, like those in which young ladies at music-halls
enact the part of colonels. He had a straw-hat on, with a blue riband,
a pink shirt and a red tie, rather loose and billowy.
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