"Tennyson again!" said the captain, as she opened the book. "It is to be regretted that the poet cannot see you, Miss Darrell, and know how highly you appreciate his works."
She never smiled nor blushed at his compliments, as she had seen other girls do. She had a fashion of fixing her bright eyes on him, and after one glance he generally was overcome with confusion before his compliment was ended. .
"I should not imagine that anything I could say would flatter a poet," she replied, thoughtfully. "Indeed he is, I should say, as far above blame as praise."
Then, without noticing him further, she went on reading. Captain Langton's eyes never left her face; its pale, grand beauty glowed and changed, the dark eyes grew radiant, the beautiful lips quivered with emotion. He thought to himself that a man might lay down his life and every hope in it to win such love as hers.
Suddenly she heard the sound of voices, and looking up saw Sir Oswald escorting two ladies.
"What a tiresome thing!" grumbled the captain. "We can never be alone a single hour."
"I thought you enjoyed society so much!" she said.
"I am beginning to care for no society on earth but yours," he whispered, his face flushing, while she turned haughtily away.
"You are proud," murmured the captain to himself—"you are as haughty as you are beautiful; but I will win you yet."
Then Sir Oswald, with his visitors, advanced. It was Pauline's aversion, Lady Hampton, with her niece, Miss Rocheford.