My grandmother's pearls went three times round my neck before they fell loosely on my bodice.
When I looked at my reflection in the long mirror I confess my splendour rather dazzled me.

If only it had been for Anthony Cardew's eyes! But I hated that I should appear so fine to do honour to the Dawsons, and I dreaded more than ever meeting Richard Dawson's insolent gaze.
I wondered how he would take it when he saw me and recognized me for the peasant girl he had insulted.

Would he be abashed, confused?
I thought he must be; and the one pleasant thing in what was going to befall me was that I should see his discomfiture.
"Miss Bawn, you look as if you'd just come out of heaven," Nora said fervently, as she watched me drawing on my lace mittens.
"I don't feel like it, Nora," I replied, "nor as if I were going there either." At the last moment something of my grandmother's could not be found, so that we were delayed and arrived at Damerstown on the stroke of eight.
My neighbour at the dinner-table told me afterwards that Mr.Dawson had fidgeted over our late arrival.

I thought I could see it in the look of relief with which he came to meet us, and the evident flurry of poor Mrs.Dawson, who was looking fatter than ever in a very tight-fitting, plum-coloured satin, and hotter than ever, despite the incessant waving of her fan.
The long, splendid drawing-room was full of very gaily-dressed ladies, much bejewelled, and many men whose looks did not prepossess me.

When I had sat down, under cover of my grandmother, in a chair a little retired behind hers, I looked about me with some dread, and I was glad to recognize the friendly face of Sir Arthur Ardaragh, who came up to us with a cordial greeting.