Now Netta was too well pleased with herself, and the effect of her beauty on others, to endure being snubbed, and was very angry that Howel was not pleased also.

’Don’t be a fool, Netta.  You know Madame Duvet is doing all she can to catch Owen.’

’Oh! jealous are you?  Well, there were plenty of other ladies who let you pay them attention; why was that I wonder?’

’I tell you what it is, Netta, I won’t allow Dancy to devote himself to you as he does.’

’Then you had better tell him so, I ain’t going to do it; he’s your friend, and if he admires me, I think you ought to be proud of it.’

’You did nothing but flirt and giggle with him all the evening.  What with you on one side and my mother on the other, I thought I must have left the room.’

’Giggle, indeed; I don’t know what you mean, sir; you never eused to say I giggled.’

’Can’t you say used, and not eused, you will never cease to be provincial,’

’Other folks are provincial, I think, besides me.  If you said your own mother was provincial, it ‘ould be true enough.’

’There again! if you are your own natural self, you leave out all your w’s directly; I wish you would be careful, Netta.’

’Well, so do the French.  I declare I won’t speak again to-night, that I won’t, you cross, unnatural, unfeeling fellow; and all because you’re jealous of Owen.  Madame Duvet says he’s the handsomest man she ever saw, and that his beard is enough to win any woman’s heart.’

‘You had better hold your tongue, I think,’ said Howel, stifling a laugh at the idea of Owen’s irresistible beard; ’you never say a word of sense.’

‘And you never say a kind word,’ said Netta, breaking down at that last attack, and beginning to cry.

‘Now don’t blubber, and let all the house hear you.’

’I wonder whether leaving out a w is half as vulgar as to tell one’s wife not to blubber.  But I won’t speak to you again.  I wish I hadn’t married you, I do.’

‘I wish to heaven you hadn’t.’

At this Netta began to sob very much, and Howel softened somewhat, but not sufficiently to make any excuse for his conduct; and Netta went to bed, proud, indignant, and unhappy, and wishing herself back again at Glanyravon.

The next morning, Owen remarked that Netta did not speak to Howel at all, and that she was very reserved and strange in her manner to Captain Dancy.  The captain, however, took no notice of the change, but whilst he seemed to converse more than usual with Miss Simpson, anticipated all Netta’s wants and wishes with most insinuating tact.  Netta, with her changing colour, and half-pettish, half-shy manner, was still more attractive than Netta affected and silly.  Owen thought that Howel felt this, for he went behind her chair, and put his hand on her shoulder, whilst he asked for some more sugar in his tea.  Netta’s lips pouted, but her eyes brightened as she said in a half whisper, ’You’re sweeter than you were, Howel.’