“I don’t think that much good is ever done by saying that kind of thing,” said Miss Mellerby gravely.

“It cannot at any rate do any harm in this case.  I wish with all my heart that he was fond of you and you of him.”

“That is all nonsense.  Indeed it is.”

“I am not saying it without an object.  I don’t see why you and I should not understand one another.  If I tell you a secret will you keep it?”

“Do not tell me any secret that I must keep from Lady Scroope.”

“But that is just what you must do.”

“But then suppose I don’t do it,” said Miss Mellerby.

But Fred was determined to tell his secret.  “The truth is that both my uncle and my aunt want me to fall in love with you.”

“How very kind of them,” said she with a little forced laugh.

“I don’t for a moment think that, had I tried it on ever so, I could have succeeded.  I am not at all the sort of man to be conceited in that way.  Wishing to do the best they could for me, they picked you out.  It isn’t that I don’t think as well of you as they do, but—­”

“Really, Mr. Neville, this is the oddest conversation.”

“Quite true.  It is odd.  But the fact is you are here, and there is nobody else I can talk to.  And I want you to know the exact truth.  I’m engaged to—­somebody else.”

“I ought to break my heart;—­oughtn’t I?”

“I don’t in the least mind your laughing at me.  I should have minded it very much if I had asked you to marry me, and you had refused me.”

“You haven’t given me the chance, you see.”

“I didn’t mean.  What was the good?”

“Certainly not, Mr. Neville, if you are engaged to some one else.  I shouldn’t like to be Number Two.”

“I’m in a peck of troubles;—­that’s the truth.  I would change places with my brother to-morrow if I could.  I daresay you don’t believe that, but I would.  I will not vex my uncle if I can help it, but I certainly shall not throw over the girl who loves me.  If it wasn’t for the title, I’d give up Scroope to my brother to-morrow, and go and live in some place where I could get lots of shooting, and where I should never have to put on a white choker.”

“You’ll think better of all that.”

“Well!—­I’ve just told you everything because I like to be on the square.  I wish you knew Kate O’Hara.  I’m sure you would not wonder that a fellow should love her.  I had rather you didn’t tell my aunt what I have told you; but if you choose to do so, I can’t help it.”

CHAPTER XI.

The Wisdom of Jack Neville.

Neville had been forced to get his leave of absence renewed on the score of his uncle’s health, and had promised to prolong his absence till the end of April.  When doing so he had declared his intention of returning to Ennis in the beginning of May; but no agreement to that had as yet been expressed by his uncle or aunt.  Towards the end of the month his brother came to Scroope, and up to that time not a word further had been said to him respecting Kate O’Hara.