Lady Bobby went straight to her room and sat by the window, and every now and then shouted advice to Lord George who was playing with me.  When we had finished, Lady Westaway took me to see the conservatories, and there we were joined by old Colonel Blake and Lord Valmond, I don’t know how he had torn himself away from Mrs. Westaway!  Jane Roose says Mrs. Smith would be mad if she was here.  He asked me why I had walked on ahead so fast on the way back from the Show as he wanted me to go on the lake with him instead of Mrs. Westaway.  When he had suggested going on it he had looked at me, but I would take no notice, and so he was obliged to go with Mrs. Westaway when she offered to come, and I was very unkind and disagreeable.  I just said if he found me so, he need not speak to me at all, I did not care.  We looked at one another like two wild cats for a moment.  I am sure he wanted to slap me, and I should like to have scratched him, and then Lady Westaway diverted the conversation by asking me if I thought I should enjoy my French visit (how every one knows one’s affairs!).  I said I hoped I should, and I was starting next week.  Lord Valmond at once pricked up his ears, and said he would be running over to Paris about then, as he was not going to Scotland till September, and he hoped I would let him look after me on the way.  I said I did not know which day I was going, probably Wednesday, so as I am starting on Monday, Mamma, there will be no chance of his coming with me, which would annoy you very much I am sure.  To-day we have done nothing but loll about and play croquet.  Lady Bobby and the men and some other women went to the Show again in the morning, but I was having a match with Jane Roose, and so we did not bother to go.

[Sidenote:  Paul and Virginia]

This afternoon when Lady Bobby began her rabbit shooting it seemed so dangerous on the croquet lawn, especially after she hit the gardener, that we all went on the lake in the launch.  We landed on the island, and somehow or other Lord Valmond and I got left alone in the Belvedere looking at the view.  The others went off without us, which made me furious, as I am sure he did it on purpose.  But when I accused him of it, he said such a thing would never have entered his head.  He had a nasty smile all the time in the corner of his eye, and did not take the least pains about trying to undo the other little boat which we found at last, although I kept telling him we should be late for dinner.  He said he wished we had not to go back at all, that he thought we should be very happy together on this little island like Paul and Virginia.  I can’t tell you, Mamma, what a temper I was in.

[Sidenote:  The Hardships of a Marquis]