asked Margaret absently , wondering why there had been no letter for her that morning -- and this was the third day too ! Could Gilbert be ill ? Or was he flirting with some other girl and forgetting her ? Margaret swallowed a big lump in her throat , and resolved that she would go home next week -- no , she would n't , either -- if he was as hateful and fickle as that -- what was Aunt Beatrice saying ? `` Well , I 'm -- I 'm not used to going to parties now , my dear . And the truth is I have no dress fit to wear . At least Bella said so , because the party was to be a very fashionable affair . She said my old grey silk would n't do at all . Of course she knows . She had to have a new dress for it , and , we could n't both have that . George could n't afford it these hard times . And , as Bella said , it would be very foolish of me to get an expensive dress that would be no use to me afterward . But it does n't matter . And , of course , somebody had to stay with the children . '' `` Of course , '' assented Margaret dreamily . Mrs. Cunningham 's `` at home '' was of no particular interest . The guests were all middle-aged people whom the M.P. had known in his boyhood and Margaret , in her presumptuous youth , thought it would be a very prosy affair , although it had made quite a sensation in quiet little Murraybridge , where people still called an `` at home '' a party plain and simple . `` I saw Mr. Reynolds in church Sunday afternoon , '' she went on . `` He is very fine-looking , I think . Did you ever meet him ? ''
`` I used to know him very well long ago , '' answered XXXXX Beatrice , bowing still lower over her work .
Aunt affair girl guests home interest lump somebody truth use