He made up his mind to curtail the drive, and call at Mr. Tremaine’s at his earliest convenience.

Bertie, in the meantime, delighted at getting a tete-a-tete with a handsome girl, instead of driving in a monotonous string with Mr. Meredith, proceeded to improve the occasion with such success that his fair companion forgot her wet stockings, and even omitted to observe that they had passed the turn leading to the paternal abode.

When she did remark it, Bertie easily persuaded her that she must be quite dry now, and that, as they had missed the garrison drive, they had better take one on their own account.  Miss Lilla, unrestrained by the detective eyes of her elder sister, was ripe for any frolic, and Bertie certainly did not find so many obstacles in the way of an affectionate flirtation as he had with Bluebell.

But our business is with the trans-Atlantic picnic in the snow, not with the “cutting out” expedition of this reprobate pair.  Having distributed the remainder of the luncheon to the servants, a start was again effected.  Lilla’s adventure had left its impression one way or another on two or three of the party.  Jack was delighted that Du Meresq was off on a fresh pursuit, and so not likely to be hanging about Bluebell; and that damsel was trying, by a reckless flirtation with Vavasour, to stifle the vexatious conviction that Bertie had only been making a fool of her on Sunday, and was now probably repeating the same game with Miss Tremaine.  Yet at this period her vanity was more wounded than her heart; very different from poor Cecil, whose infatuation was of older date, and not the mere result of a few flattering speeches.

For a girl of her disposition to set her affections on a man like Bertie was certain misery.  She had no rivals in those days when she learnt to care so intensely for the sympathetic companion who understood her so much better than any one else.  He understood her; therein was the potent charm; her mind awoke and her ideas vivified from contact with his, as two happily-contrasted colours become brighter in hue in juxtaposition.  No companion had ever suited her so perfectly, and yet Bertie had scarcely made direct love to her.  It seemed a matter of course that they should care most for each other, and Cecil’s young and ardent heart had drifted beyond recall ere she had done more than suspect another side to his character.

Now she perceived that Bertie’s affection for her by no means made him insensible to the bright eyes of the fair Canadians; yet the more she cared for his philandering interludes with other girls the less she showed it, except that her manner grew colder, though, unfortunately, her heart did not.

Major Fane was disappointed with Cecil’s preoccupied mood.  He had taken some pains to secure her for this drive, and she hadn’t a word to say to him.  He certainly admired her, but, perhaps, it was more his horror of Canadian girls that had made her his choice for the day.  He always said their only idea of conversation was chaff, and rudeness under cover of it; and as he had been the victim of many such “smart” speeches, he looked upon them with nervous aversion.