Mr.
Rivers and the others joined them; Ethel said little, except a remark or two in answer to her papa, but she was very happy--she felt that he liked to have her with him; and Meta, too, was struck by the soundness of her few sayings, and the participation there seemed to be in all things between the father and daughter.
At dinner Ethel went on pretty well.

She was next to her father, and was very glad to find the dinner so grand, that no side-dish fell to her lot to be carved.

There was a great deal of pleasant talk, such as the girls could understand, though they did not join much in it, except that now and then Dr.May turned to Ethel as a reference for names and dates.

To make up for silence at dinner, there was a most confidential chatter in the drawing-room.

Flora and Meta on one side, hand in hand, calling each other by their Christian names, Mrs.Larpent and Ethel on the other.
Flora dreaded only that Ethel was talking too much, and revealing too much in how different style they lived.