“Mamma, it is Lord Dredmond.”
She had persisted in giving him this title ever since she had learned that he was the grandson of an earl, although Wilbur had repeatedly told her that he did not care to have it used until he came into his property. He was very modest about it.
“Of course, there is a mistake,” returned Mrs. Coolidge. “You had better pay more attention. The gentleman doubtless wishes to see Miss Isabel,” she said, severely, to the servant.
“Isabel, you must go down and receive him yourself. Find out, if you can, what he wants of her, and make yourself as agreeable as possible to him,” Mrs. Coolidge remarked, running her eye critically over her daughter, to see that everything was all right.
“It is time that minx was out of the way; she seems to have a strange faculty for bewitching the gentlemen, without appearing to do so,” muttered Isabel, as she swept from the room, smoothing out her distorted face, and followed by her brother’s contemptuous glances.
Wilbur himself soon after arose and left.
A jealous feeling was beginning to creep into his own heart, and he wondered what Adrian Dredmond could want of Brownie Douglas.
CHAPTER XVIII
AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH
When Isabel entered the drawing-room, Mr. Dredmond arose to salute her; but an expression of disappointment swept over his fine face, when he saw Miss Coolidge instead of Miss Douglas.
Isabel approached him, holding out her white hand, and saying, cordially: