"I met him and his sister at Mrs. Effingham's. Don't you remember?"
"H'm—ha—"
"They seem such a nice family. I should like to know more of them. Their home is at a place called Craye. And isn't it curious,—a family named Erskine lives near them? The father is a Colonel, and one of the daughters is named Dorothea. I wonder if they are your Erskines?"
The Colonel made absolutely no answer to this. He hurried on at such a pace as to render conversation impossible, and the subject was not alluded to again.
Perhaps his very reluctant consent to a call from Mervyn had had the force of a rebuff: for time passed, and Mervyn did not appear. Dorothea ceased at length to expect him. Also, for a long while, Edred did not come near them. He was very much occupied while the Rector went away for a summer holiday; and when the Rector returned, Edred had his turn of absence.
Colonel Tracy and Dorothea remained through the summer in their lodgings. Nothing further was said about a change to the seaside.
[CHAPTER XI]
ISABEL'S QUESTIONING
"DOLLY, you have not practised once for a whole week."