"What now, Cinderella?" cried her father. "Have you stopped beyond your time, and will your fairy godmother be angry?"
"No one will be angry, papa; but I did not mean to stay so late. I am sorry your description of Normandy has been so interesting, M. Lenoble."
"Come and see Vevinord and Côtenoir, and you will judge for yourself. The town-hall of Vevinord is almost as fine as that of Louvain; and we have a church that belongs to the time of Dagobert."
"She shall see them before long," said the Captain; "I shall have business in Rouen again before the next month is out; and if my daughter is a good girl, I will take her over there with me."
Diana stared at her father in utter bewilderment. What could be the meaning of this sudden display of affection?
"I should not be free to go with you, papa, even if you were able to take me," she replied, somewhat coldly; "I have other duties."
She felt assured that there was some lurking motive, some diplomatic art at the bottom of the Captain's altered conduct, and she could not altogether repress her scorn. The astute Horatio saw that he had gone a little too far, and that his only child was not of the stuff to be moulded at will by his dexterous hands.
"You will come and see me again, Diana?" he said in a pleading tone: "I am likely to be a prisoner in this room for a week or more."
"Certainly, papa; I will come if you wish it. When shall I come?"
"Well, let me see—to-day is Thursday; can you come on Monday?"