‘I wish with all my heart she had.’

‘Oh, you cruel barbarian! why on earth should you wish that?’

’That I might have joined you in your exile.  I hate Courcy Castle, and should have rejoiced to leave—­and—­and—­’

‘And what?’

’And I love Miss Dunstable, and should have doubly, trebly rejoiced to leave it with her.’

Frank’s voice quivered a little as he made this gallant profession; but still Miss Dunstable only laughed the louder.  ’Upon my word, of all my knights you are by far the best behaved,’ said she, ’and say much the prettiest things.’  Frank became rather red in the face, and felt that he did so.  Miss Dunstable was treating him like a boy.  While she pretended to be so fond of him she was only laughing at him, and corresponding the while with his cousin George.  Now Frank Gresham already entertained a sort of contempt for his cousin, which increased the bitterness of his feelings.  Could it really be possible that George had succeeded while he had utterly failed; that his stupid cousin had touched the heart of the heiress while she was playing with him as with a boy?

’Of all your knights!  Is that the way you talk to me when we are going to part?  When was it, Miss Dunstable, that George de Courcy became one of them?’

Miss Dunstable for a while looked serious enough.  ’What makes you ask that?’ said she.  ‘What makes you inquire about Mr de Courcy?’

’Oh, I have eyes, you know, and can’t help seeing.  Not that I see, or have seen anything that I could possibly help.’

‘And what have you seen, Mr Gresham?’

‘Why, I know you have been writing to him.’

‘Did he tell you so?’

‘No; he did not tell me; but I know it.’

For a moment she sat silent, and then her face again resumed its usual happy smile.  ’Come, Mr Gresham, you are not going to quarrel with me, I hope, even if I did write a letter to your cousin.  Why should I not write to him?  I correspond with all manner of people.  I’ll write to you some of these days if you’ll let me, and will promise to answer my letters.’

Frank threw himself back on the sofa on which he was sitting, and, in doing so, brought himself somewhat nearer to his companion than he had been; he then drew his hand slowly across his forehead, pushing back his thick hair, and as he did so he sighed somewhat plaintively.

‘I do not care,’ said he, ’for the privilege of correspondence on such terms.  If my cousin George is to be a correspondent of yours also, I will give up my claim.’

And then he sighed again, so that it was piteous to hear him.  He was certainly an arrant puppy, and an egregious ass into the bargain; but then, it must be remembered in his favour that he was only twenty-one, and that much had been done to spoil him.  Miss Dunstable did remember this, and therefore abstained from laughing at him.