“Nonsense, Christine, don’t you go around with thinks like that under your pompadour! Elise is all right. She isn’t such a sunny bunny as I am, but she’s a lot wiser and better in many ways.”
“No, she isn’t! She’s selfish and jealous. But I’m going to be nice to her, and, perhaps, I can make her like me, after all.”
“I should say you could! Everybody likes you, and anybody who doesn’t soon will!”
CHAPTER II
AN ABLE HELPER
Nearly all the guests had left the Fairfield house, after Nan’s pleasant afternoon tea. Philip Van Reypen had escorted his aunt out to her carriage, and she had driven away, while the young man returned for a few moments’ further chat with his hostess.
Though he and Nan had met but a few times, they had become rather chummy, which, however, was not unusual for him, if he liked anybody.
Young Van Reypen was of a gay and social nature, and made friends easily by his sheer good-humour. He admired Mrs. Fairfield very much, but, even more, he admired Patty. Ever since he had met her unexpectedly on his aunt’s staircase, he had thought her the prettiest and sweetest girl he had ever seen. So he was making every endeavour to cultivate her acquaintance, and, being of rather astute observation, he concluded it wise to make friends with the whole Fairfield family.
So the big, handsome chap went back to the drawing-room, and dropped on a sofa beside Nan.
“It’s awfully cold out,” he observed, plaintively.