The Company's Servant

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER V. The eyes which sought Rosita, speedily discerned her, for she blazed like a sun among minor constellations, and at the moment, stood apart from other girls, surrounded by a crowd of clamouring partners. The radiating centre of attraction wore a white gown, a gold necklace, and waved with...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER V. The eyes which sought Rosita, speedily discerned her, for she blazed like a sun among minor constellations, and at the moment, stood apart from other girls, surrounded by a crowd of clamouring partners. The radiating centre of attraction wore a white gown, a gold necklace, and waved with inimitable grace, a splendid red feather fan; she looked charming; alive to the finger tips; her air, the poise of her supple figure, and her toilette were altogether different from the rest of the company. She practically enjoyed a monopoly of admiration, and in her presence, contemporaries seemed faded and eclipsed. Rosita would have shone in any ball-room; not alone for her beauty, but for her almost startling individuality, and the irresistible magnetism of her glance. At the moment, a soft rose tinted her cheeks, her dark eyes sparkled between their sweeping lashes, she gesticulated with her tiny hands and fan, as she distributed smiles, jests, and deadly wounds among the circle of her courtiers. The assembled company looked on indifferently? they were now so well accustomed to RositaV predominance; but one or two whispered and wondered, Where she had got the fine swami necklet ? Naturally each adorer secretly accused a rival of the gift?one entered it to the credit of Vernon, another to Booth his comrade, some to Pereira in the telegraph, or it might be the same individual who had presented the bangles last Christmas ? No one would ever know; Mademoiselle Fontaine, for all her chatter, could be reserved. Even her aunt, who was au courant with most secrets, was not in her confidence; indeed this bold and clever woman was a little afraid of her charge. To be the nearest relative to an acclaimed beauty, was undoubtedly a weapon in her hand, but the glittering bl...