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"Provoking, is it? And what has he been doing?"
"I'll tell you the whole truth, Miles," interposed the maligned one."'Tis Mistress Diana who is so inquisitive!"
"Oh!" Diana blushed furiously "I protest you are unkind, sir!"
"Sure, 'tis no gentleman he is, at all!"
"'Twas on the subject of gentlemen that we--"
"Quarrelled," supplied her aunt.
"Disagreed," amended his lordship.
"Disagreed," nodded Diana. "I asked him whether Mr. Everard was not somegrand gentleman, and he evaded the point."
"I vow 'tis slander!" cried Jack. "I merely said that Everard was nogentleman at all."
"There! And was not that evading the point, Sir Miles?"
"Was it? Sure, I'm inclined to agree with him."
"I declare you are both in league against me!" she cried, with greatertruth than she knew. "I mean, was he perhaps a _titled_ gentlema
n?"
"But how should Jack know that?"
"Because I am sure he knows him--or, at least, of him."
"Listen, Mistress Di," broke in my lord, shooting a warning glance atO'Hara. "I will tell you all about Mr. Everard, and I hope you will besatisfied with my tale." He paused and seemed to cudgel his brain."First he is, of course, titled--let me see--yes, he is a Duke. Oh, heis certainly a Duke--and I am not sure but what he is royal--he--"
"Now you are ridiculous!" cried Miss Betty.
"You are very teasing," said Diana, and tried to frown. "First youpretend to know nothing about Mr. Everard, and then you tell me foolishstories about him. A Duke, indeed! I believe you _really_ do knownothing about him!"
As Carstares had hoped, she refused to believe the truth.
"He is playing with ye, child," said O'Hara, who had listened to Jack'stale with a face of wonder. "I warrant he knows no Everard--eh, Jack?"
"No, I cannot say that I do," laughed his lordship.
"But--but--you said--"
"Never mind what he said, Miss Di. 'Tis a scurvy fellow he is."
She regarded him gravely.
"Indeed, I almost think so."
But the dimple peeped out for all that! The next instant it was gone,and Diana turned a face of gloom to her aunt, pouting her red lipsadorably, so thought my lord.
"Mr. Bettison," she said in accents of despair.
At these mystic words, Jack saw Miss Betty frown, and heard herimpatient remark: "Drat the man!"
He looked towards the house, and perceived a short, rather stout, youngman to be walking with a peculiar strutting gait towards them. The boywas good-looking, Carstares acknowledged to himself, but his eyes wereset too close. And he did not like his style. No, certainly he did notlike his style, nor the proprietary way in which he kissed Diana's hand.
"How agreeable it is to see you again, Mr. Bettison!" said Miss Bettywith much affability. "I declare 'tis an age since we set eyes on you!"
