He did not look at her.  “I don’t see why,” he said gently, after a moment.

“Oh, but you do!” she said impatiently.  “At least you can if you try.  You knew I was wrong to go down again for that last dance, just as well as I did.  Why, you tried to stop me!”

“Which was very presumptuous of me,” said Scott.

“No, it wasn’t.  It was kind.  And I—­I was a perfect pig not to listen.  I want you to know that, Mr. Studley.  I want you to know that I’m very, very sorry I didn’t listen.”  She spoke with trembling vehemence.

Scott smiled a little.  He was looking tired that morning.  There were weary lines about his eyes.  “I don’t know why you should be so very penitent, Miss Bathurst,” he said.  “It was quite a small thing.”

“It got me into bad trouble anyway,” said Dinah.  “I’ve had a tremendous wigging from the Colonel this morning, and if—­if I ever do anything so bad again, we’re to be sent home.”

“I call that unreasonable,” said Scott with decision.  “It was not such a serious matter as all that.  If you want my opinion, I think it was a mistake—­a small mistake—­on your part; nothing more.”

“But that wasn’t all,” said Dinah, looking away from him and quickening her pace, “I—­I have offended your brother too.”

“Good heavens!” said Scott.  “And is that serious too?”

“Don’t laugh!” protested Dinah.  “Of course it’s serious.  He—­he won’t even look at me this morning.”  The sound of tears came suddenly into her voice.  “I was waiting for you on the verandah a little while ago, and—­and he went by with Rose and never glanced my way.  All because—­because—­oh, I am a little fool!” she declared, with an angry stamp of the foot as she walked.

“He’s the fool!” said Scott rather shortly.  “I shouldn’t bother myself over that if I were you.”

“I can’t help it,” said Dinah, her voice squeaking on a note half-indignant, half-piteous.  “I—­I behaved so idiotically, just like a raw schoolgirl.  And I hate myself for it now!”

Scott looked at her for the first time since the beginning of her confidences.  “Do you know, Miss Bathurst,” he said, “I have a suspicion that you are much too hard on yourself.  Of course I don’t know what happened, but I do know that my brother is much more likely to have been in the wrong than you were.  The best thing you can do is simply to dismiss the matter from your mind.  Behave as if nothing had happened!  Cut him next time!  It’s far the best way of treating him.”

Dinah smiled woefully.  “And he will spread himself at Rose’s feet like all the rest, and never come near me again.”

Scott frowned a little.  “Miss de Vigne won’t have the monopoly, I can assure you.”

“She will,” protested Dinah.  “She knows how to flirt without being caught.  I don’t.”

“Thank the gods for that!” said Scott with fervour.  “So he tried to flirt, did he?  And you objected.  Was that it?”