Drawing his chair up to Anna, Captain Atherton managed to keep Malcolm at a distance, while he himself wholly monopolized the young girl, who cast imploring glances toward her cousin, as if asking for relief. Many a time, on similar occasions, had ’Lena claimed the attention of the captain, for the sake of leaving Anna free to converse with Malcolm, and now understanding what was wanted of her, she nodded in token that she would come to the rescue. Just then, Mrs. Livingstone, who had kept an eye upon her niece, drew near, and as she seemed to want a seat; ’Lena instantly arose and offered hers, going herself to the place where the captain was sitting. Erelong, her lively sallies and the captain’s loud laugh began to attract Mrs. Livingstone’s attention, and observing that Durward’s eyes were frequently drawn that way, she thought proper to make some remarks concerning the impropriety of her niece’s conduct.
“I do wish,” said she, apparently speaking more to herself than to Durward, “I do wish ’Lena would learn discretion, and let Captain Atherton alone, when she knows how much her behavior annoys Mr. Everett.”
“Is Mr. Everett anything to her!” asked Durward, half hoping that she would not confirm what Carrie had before hinted.
“If he isn’t he ought to be,” answered Mrs. Livingstone, with an ominous shake of the head. “Rumor says they are engaged, and though when questioned she denies it, she gives people abundant reason to think so, and yet every chance she gets, she flirts with Captain Atherton, as you see her doing now.”
“What can she or any other young girl possibly want of that old man?” asked Durward, laughing at the very idea.
“He is rich. ’Lena is poor, proud, and ambitious—there lies the secret,” was Mrs. Livingstone’s reply, and thinking she had said enough for the present, she excused herself, while she went to give orders concerning supper.
John Jr., and Carrie, too, had disappeared, and thus left to himself, Durward had nothing to do but to watch ’Lena, who, as she saw symptoms of desertion in the anxious glances which the captain cast toward Anna, redoubled her exertions to keep him at her side, thus confirming Durward in the belief that she really was what her aunt and Carrie had represented her to be. “Poor, proud, and ambitious,” rang in his ears, and as he mistook the mischievous look which ’Lena frequently sent toward Anna and Malcolm, for a desire to see how the latter was affected by her conduct, he thought “Fickle as fair,” at the same time congratulating himself that he had obtained an insight into her real character, ere her exceeding beauty and agreeable manners had made any particular impression upon him.
Knowing she had done nothing to offend him, and feeling piqued at his indifference, ’Lena in turn treated him so coldly, that even Carrie was satisfied with the phase which affairs had assumed, and that night, in the privacy of her mother’s dressing-room, expressed her pleasure that matters were progressing so finely.
“You’ve no idea, mother,” said she, “how much he detests anything like coquetry. Nellie Douglass thinks it’s a kind of monomania with him, and I am inclined to believe it is so.”
“In that case,” answered Mrs. Livingstone, “it behooves you, in his presence, to be very careful how you demean yourself toward other gentlemen.”