‘Maraquita! She is not ill, but she has been very languid lately, which we attribute to the heat. But I have not seen so much of her during the last few months. I suppose she is too gay to have any time to spare for us.’
‘And Henri de Courcelles! Is he still the overseer at Beauregard?’ demanded Captain Norris, after a short pause.
Liz coloured.
‘Yes! Why should he not be so? Mr Courtney has every trust and confidence in him.’
‘So much the worse, I think, for Mr Courtney.’
She fired up directly.
‘Captain Norris, you have no right to make such an insinuation! What do you know against Monsieur de Courcelles? It is unworthy of you to try and set his friends against him, behind his back.’
‘I am sorry if you think so, Miss Fellows; I hoped that you might not be so intimate with De Courcelles as you used to be. But let us talk of something else. How is your father?’
‘Much the same as usual, Captain Norris. Father is never very lively, as you know. Sometimes I fancy this climate must disagree with him, he is so silent and depressed; but he has always been the same, and he strenuously denies any feeling of illness.’
‘It is a dull life that you lead here with him, Liz.’