'You walk along the downs between Brighton and Newhaven?' he said, as if that was an extraordinary matter. 'Alone?'
'Usually.'
'When I am passing I will look out for you; I will imagine that I can see you.'
Nan thought this was idle talk, so she said with a smile,
'Shall we give up this dance too? The fact is, I want to take mamma and get her some tea, or an ice, or something.'
'Oh, don't do that!' said he eagerly; 'introduce me to her, and I will take you both down to supper. There are some people there already——'
'But I must not go down—not yet,' said Nan, remembering her youth.
'Why not?' said he boldly. 'I know Lady Stratherne well enough for anything. Why, nothing could be more natural. Of course you will come down with your mamma.'
'I'm very hungry, and that's the truth,' said Nan; 'for I was too excited or frightened to think about dinner. But if I went down now, wouldn't they think it was a little bit——'
She was about to say 'cheeky,' but she remembered in time that this was not her brother. He broke in abruptly—