“But you forget,” said Madame Scott, on their way to Longueval, “that we are to have two people to dinner to-night.”

“Ah, but I shall be glad to welcome both of them—­particularly the young lieutenant,” Bettina confessed, with a touch of shyness.

III.—­Friendship Grows

Great alterations had been made at the castle during the month that had elapsed.  The rooms had been refurnished, the stables and coach-houses were stocked, the pleasure-grounds made trim and beautiful, and servants were busy everywhere.  When the abbe and Jean arrived, they were ushered in by two tall and dignified footmen, but Madame Scott received them with all the frankness she had shown at the vicarage, and presented her son Harry and her daughter Bella, who were six and five years old.  Then Miss Percival joined them, and presently they were all talking together like old friends.  But the happiest of all was Abbe Constantin.  He felt at home again—­too much at home—­and when coffee was served on the terrace in front of the chateau after dinner, he lost himself in an agreeable reverie.  Then—­terrible catastrophe!—­he fell into his old habit, and sank into an after dinner doze, as he had so often done in the days of the marquise.

Jean and Bettina found much to say to each other, and as the ladies were looking forward to riding round the estates, Jean, who rode every day for exercise, promised to join them.  It was quite clear that Miss Bettina was glad to see them both—­“particularly the young lieutenant!” And when Madame Scott and her sister walked up the avenue, after having accompanied Jean and the abbe to the gate, Bettina confessed that she expected to be scolded for being so friendly with Jean.

“But I shall not scold you,” Madame Scott said, “for he has made a favourable impression on me from the first.  He inspires me with confidence.”

“That is just how I feel towards him,” said Bettina quietly.

As for Jean, he talked so much to Paul about his visit that that gay young man accused him of having fallen in love, but, of course, that was mere nonsense!  There was no fear of Jean falling in love!  For a poor lieutenant could never dream of winning an heiress for his wife.  When next he met Bettina they had a very long talk about their people, and it appeared that they were both descendants of French peasants.  That was why Jean loved the country folk around Longueval.  And when he had served his time in the army, he thought he would retire on half-pay—­an old colonel, perhaps—­and come back to live there.

“Always quite alone?” asked Bettina.

“Why, I hope not.”

“Oh, then you intend to marry!”

“Well, one may think of that, though one need not always be seeking to marry.”

“Yet there are some who look for it, I know, and I have heard that you might have married more than one girl with a handsome fortune if you had wished.”