“Oh! I ain’t afraid of him at all events!”
“What then are you afraid of? Is there any other rival, you think, she’s likely to prefer to you? May be young Dayrell; or that rather good-looking son of Sir Roger Hammersley? Either of them, eh?”
“No—nor any one else.”
“In that case, why are you in doubt? You think the girl likes you?”
“Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t. She appears to change every day. But I’ve reason to believe, she likes me now; or did yesterday.”
“How do you know that? Has she told you so?”
“No—not in words; but I think so from her way. I hinted to her, that I intended to have a private talk with her upon an important matter, when we should be out on this hawking party. She appeared delighted at the idea—did, by Ged! Besides; she was in tip-top spirits all the evening after; and several times spoke of the pleasure she expected from to-morrow’s sport—that is to-day. Now, what could that mean, unless—”
“Unless the pleasure she anticipated from your proposing to her. But if her liking be only on alternate days—as you say—and she was so fond of you yesterday, she might be in the contrary mood to-day? For that reason I’d advise you to suspend proceedings till to-morrow.”
“But, captain; you forget that I’ve got a way that will insure her consent—whether it be to-day or to-morrow.”
“Disclose it, my sagacious cornet.”