'She seems to be, in her way. Of course, everything is rose colour to-night. Hilda, do you like Captain Gates?'
'Yes, I like him pretty well,' I said.
Nelly came up and put both hands on my shoulders.
'Now, look me straight in the face, and say that again.'
'I don't know what you mean,' I said, confronting her steadily.
'Sometimes I wonder if you are as innocent as you appear,' Nelly continued, laughing. 'But let me warn you of this: he is a great flirt, and tries it on with every girl he comes across. Kenneth asked him to-night downstairs if he thought a saint would make any man a good wife, and I never saw him so put out. He went off in a huff, and Kenneth said he thought he was hit at last. What did you talk about, Hilda, when you and he went off for your solitary ramble?'
I have always been told that I have an easy temper, but Nelly was never nearer making me really angry than she was that night.
'I wish you would not speak so, Nelly,' I said, flushing a little as I turned away from her; 'I cannot bear that kind of talk; as if you cannot be friendly to any one without having such motives ascribed to you. Captain Gates talks to me like any one else; he is a little more polite to me than your brothers are, that is the only difference.'
'My dear, how your eyes are flashing! I shall begin to be quite frightened of you. I didn't ascribe any motives to you, but I only warned you to beware of Captain Gates. He told Kenneth you were a bewitching little thing two days after he had first seen you, and I think the fact of your being so different to the usual run of girls he sees fascinates him for the time. I was going to advise you how to deal with him, but really I hardly dare now.'
'I don't mean to be cross, Nelly; but I am tired, and I want to be left alone.'