‘You don’t look as if it would be a very dreadful sound.’

‘If it would only bring my poor Oliver back to me!’

’Yes—­nothing would make Jem so civil to him as his coming floated in on a plank, wet through, with a little bundle in one hand and a parrot in the other.’

Mrs. Frost gave one of her tender laughs, and filled up the picture.  ’Jane would open the door, Jane would know Master Oliver’s black eyes in a moment—­’No, no. I must see him first!  If he once looked up I could not miss him, whatever colour he may have turned.  I wonder whether he would know me!’

‘Don’t you know that you grow handsomer every year, Aunt Kitty?’

‘Don’t flatter, sir.’

‘Well, I most go to my aunt.’

He tarried to hear the welcome recital of all the kind deeds of the house of Conway.  He presently found Lady Conway awaiting him in the drawing-room, and was greeted with great joy.  ’That is well!  I hoped to work on your father by telling him I did not approve of young men carrying industry too far—­’

‘That is not my habit.’

’Then it is your excuse for avoiding troublesome relations!  No, not a word!  I know nothing about the secret that occupied Isabel at Mrs. Ponsonby’s select party.  But I really wanted you.  You are more au fait as to the society here than the Ponsonbys and Dynevors.  Ah! when does that come off?’

‘What is to come off?’

‘Miss Ponsonby and Mr. Dynevor.  What a good creature he is!’

’I cannot see much likelihood of it, but you are more on the scene of action.’

’She could do much better, with such expectations, but on his account I could not be sorry.  It is shocking to think of that nice young sister being a governess.  I think it a duty to give her every advantage that may tend to form her.  With her connexions and education, I can have no objection to her as a companion to your cousins, and with a few advantages, though she will never be handsome, she might marry well.  They are a most interesting family.  Isabel and I are most anxious to do all in our power for them.’

‘Clara is obliged,’ said Louis, with undetected irony, but secret wonder at the dexterity with which the patronage must have been administered so as not to have made the interesting family fly off at a tangent.

Isabel made her appearance in her almost constant morning dress of soft dove-coloured merino entirely unadorned, and looking more like a maiden in a romance than ever.  She had just left Adeline standing on the steps of a stone cross, exhorting the Provencals to arm against a descent of Moorish corsairs, and she held out her hand to Fitzjocelyn much as Adeline did, when the fantastic Viscount professed his intention of flying instead of fighting, and wanted her to sit behind him on his courser.

Lady Conway pronounced her council complete, and propounded the fete which she wished to give on the 12th of January in honour of Louisa’s birthday.  Isabel took up a pencil, and was lost in sketching wayside crosses, and vessels with lateen sails, only throwing in a word or two here and there when necessary.  Dancing was still, Lady Conway feared, out of the question with Fitzjocelyn.