"Yes; no later than this morning you warned me not to climb too high, lest I should fall irretrievably; you see I remember your lessons, though you may affect a short memory on the occasion."
"I wish I could consider it as a proof that you are not offended at my boldness," said he drawing his chair closer to her; "I really wished afterwards to apologise for my words, I feared you would think me so impertinent. You were not angry?"
"Not the least in the world—why should I be?" was her answer, gaily smiling. "Indeed I did not believe you were serious; you may laugh at my vanity, but I did not feel guilty of ambition."
"And if you were, I had no right, no title, no claim to correct you," said he looking very earnestly at her.
"The right of a friend and well-wisher, Mr. Howard," replied she looking down with a heightened colour—she never could meet his eyes when they had that peculiar expression in them. "I trust I may consider you in that light at least."
"You have not a sincerer well-wisher in the world," he replied with emphasis, and then stopped abruptly.
To break the pause which appeared to her to be awkward, she observed,
"You did not tell me where your sister is, Mr. Howard—or else I have forgotten: where is it?"
"In North Wales, not far from Denbigh. I am going shortly to fetch her home."
"I think you are always going somewhere; ever since I knew you, you have been perpetually offering to go away. Do you ever put it in practice."