"Oh! any that will suit Captain Trevalyon" she said, hurriedly, "I mean you and he, I leave it to you, only be quick, else you may miss him."
"If I were a jealous man, your eagerness," he said merrily—
"But you are not, and you know, I only do it for your sake, you are such friends."
"Thank you, dear, and he is so fond of the Hall, And as you have not seen him lately you can wish him bon voyage as he leaves sooner than we do, but I forget, you must have seen him last night to give him your welcome message for myself."
"Yes, at the Delamer's for one minute; I hoped to see you there, for your doleful face haunted me since morning, so I just had time to bid him say to you 'come,' which we know was a romance."
"What a kind little wife I am winning; Trevalyon deserves that I should deny myself by leaving you too soon, for the content he brought me in your message, especially as he is feeling cut up about having missed seeing Lady Esmondet and my niece yesterday afternoon and evening."
"Just so, we must pet him and make sure of him; dine with me to-night at eight, the rest of the party will be here, you can then state your arrangements; ta, ta."
Seeing from the window the tall, soldier-like figure safe down the steps and making rapid strides through the square, she throws herself on to a lounging chair, with both her hands pressed to her side, says whisperingly—
"These heart throbs are all for you, my idol; oh, that he will be in time. How stupidly tame he is, but you will be the elixir of life to me; I shall be a Haughton of Haughton, and you shall be there, and I shall keep you out of matrimony, and my life will be all bliss."
"Luncheon is served, ma'am."