“Yes, I shouldn’t recommend your running counter to him gratuitously.  To tell you the truth, I thought you rather a lunatic keeping away so long after coming on shore,”—­and Kate gazed searchingly into Harry’s face, who blushed, and then frowned under the scrutiny.

“Ah!” murmured the fair inquisitor, “then there was something—­a woman in the case, of course:  there always is.”

“I tell you what,” cried Dutton, recovering himself, “if you begin supposing improbabilities about me, I’ll turn detective on you and Dashwood.”

“Sea manners again! and when I was so kind—­putting you on your guard.  But, never mind, Harry, though I think what I please, I shan’t peach if you don’t.”

“Let us seal the treaty,” passing one arm round her waist.  “Give me a kiss, Kate—­you haven’t yet.”

“Anything in reason, which sealing treaties in a vista opposite Uncle Bromley’s study windows is not.”

A few paces rectified that objection; but Dutton relapsed into a brown study, and Kate fell to thinking of Colonel Dashwood; and so they wandered on till the girl spoke again.

“What port have you left your heart in, Harry?”

“My dear, I have none.  I left it in your charge when I went to sea, and have never asked for it back again.”

“I expect I shall have to return it now, as I think my uncle has some views as to its disposal, and may inquire for it.”

“He always has chimeras of that sort.  I say, Kate, how perilously plain Geraldine has grown up.”

“You discern the finger of Fate there.  She has, indeed.  I wonder she is not ashamed of herself.”

“Speak not thus harshly of a misfortune.”

“It’s just as much a fault.  Do you think I’d submit to be plain?  Never.  Give me only one good feature, I’d pose up to it, and make it beautify the rest.  Large goggle eyes like hers might be thrown up with a heavenly expression—­so—­(but I am afraid mine are rather earthly).  A bad figure even could be rectified.  She need not indulge much in the poetry of motion. I am not pretty, but I dare say you never found it out.  No, you haven’t, so you needn’t assume that look of regretful dissent; and I repeat, that any girl so spiritless as to give in to being ugly deserves to be left out in the cold.”

“That, my dear, you can never be.  You carry brimstone enough to set every one in flames about you.  But to return to our—­sheep.  Don’t say, Kate, I am expected to range alongside such a figure-head as that!”

“She will have a very valuable consignment of—­timber, however, when she comes into Forest Hill.”

“Which adjoins ‘The Towers!’ The Avuncular will be death on it!  What an unfortunate idea to take up!”

“Can’t you do it?” asked the girl, looking askance.

“I don’t want to offend his Lordship.  I’d ride for a fall.  Any chance of a refusal, Kate?”