Nina was the first to recover composure, and she took to blinking at her slightly confused companion. Then a match-making ardour rose within her. Captain Eversleigh apparently fancied Miss Marsden. Why should he not be encouraged? Perhaps in time he might take the place of that bad man who had forsaken her. Also she herself would enjoy talking to the tall boy who had expressed his admiration for her. She would not flirt with him. Oh, no, she would merely talk soberly and quietly as befitted a married woman. She must not be gay nor forward; for in that case she would annoy her Spaniard. She would, however, like him to see that, even though he had deserted her himself, and had driven away the scapegrace Delessert, she was not at a loss for companionship.
“I dare say they are lonely,” she observed, bringing her cogitations to a close. “What a pity that we cannot show them some attention!”
“We might accept some attentions from them,” corrected Miss Marsden, briskly, “if they were properly introduced.”
“But women have to be so careful about the associates they choose when travelling,” observed Nina, mischievously.
Miss Marsden shook her head. “You will be an apt pupil in the school of old Father Time, my dear; but I am a class ahead of you yet. I think that Englishman is the ugliest man I ever saw.”
“So do I,” said Nina, demurely.
“He has an honest ring in his voice, certainly; but given the occasion, I dare say he will distinguish himself with the best of them.”
“I dare say he drinks,” said Nina. “I guess all men drink when they aren’t gambling. I expect my husband is as bad as the worst of them—and lie, too. I suppose Captain Eversleigh didn’t mean a word of what he said about you.”
Miss Marsden, evidently tired of the conversation, was humming five lines to herself:
“‘A little idle word,