Mrs. Frederick indulged in a laugh which put the mettle of her festal brown silk seams to the test . `` My dear Cecilia , it was SO amusing , '' she said , a little patronizingly . `` But WHY ! '' cried Mrs. George , resenting the patronage and the mystery . `` What was so dreadful in what I said ? Or so funny ? And WHO is this Romney Penhallow who must n't be spoken to ? '' `` Oh , Romney is one of the Charlottetown Penhallows , '' explained Mrs. Frederick . `` He is a lawyer there . He is a first cousin of Lucinda 's and a second of George 's -- or is he ? Oh , bother ! You must go to Uncle John if you want the genealogy . I 'm in a chronic muddle concerning Penhallow relationship . And , as for Romney , of course you can speak to him about anything you like except Lucinda . Oh , you innocent ! To ask him if he did n't think Lucinda was looking well ! And right before her , too ! Of course he thought you did it on purpose to tease him . That was what made him so savage and sarcastic . '' `` But WHY ? ''
persisted Mrs. XXXXX , sticking tenaciously to her point .
Cecilia Frederick George John Lucinda Penhallow Penhallows Romney genealogy right