"Oh, if you come here out of duty--" she said archly, and with her merry

laugh. "There, is not that a nice occasion for picking a quarrel? And

seriously," she continued, "perhaps it might be good for you if we

did. I am beginning to fear that I ought not to keep you lingering here

without purpose or occupation."

"Fulfil my purpose, and I will find occupation."

"Don't say that."

"This once, Ermine. For one year I shall wait in the hope of convincing

you. If you do not change, your mind in that time, I shall look for

another staff appointment, to last till Rose is ready for me."

The gravity of this conclusion made Ermine laugh. "That's what you

learnt of your chief," she said.

"There would be less difference in age," he said. "Though I own I should

like my widow to be less helpless than poor little Lady Temple. So,"

he added, with the same face of ridiculous earnest, "if you continue to

reject me yourself, you will at least rear her with an especial view to

her efficiency in that capacity."

And as Rose at that critical moment looked in at the window, eager to be

encouraged to come and show Colinette's successful toilette, he drew

her to him with the smile that had won her whole heart, and listening to

every little bit of honesty about "my work" and "Aunt Ermine's work,"

he told her that he knew she was a very managing domestic character,

perfectly equal to the charge of both young ladies.

"Aunt Ermine says I must learn to manage, because some day I shall have

to take care of papa."

"Yes," with his eyes on Ermine all the while, "learn to be a useful

woman; who knows if we shan't all depend on you by-and-by?"

"Oh do let me be useful to you," cried Rose; "I could hem all your

handkerchiefs, and make you a kettle-holder."

Ermine had never esteemed him more highly than when he refrained from

all but a droll look, and uttered not one word of the sportive courtship

that is so peculiarly unwholesome and undesirable with children. Perhaps

she thought her colonel more a gentleman than she had done before, if

that were possible; and she took an odd, quaint pleasure in the idea

of this match, often when talking to Alison of her views of life and

education, putting them in the form of what would become of Rose as Lady

Keith; and Colin kept his promise of making no more references to

the future. On moving into his lodgings, the hour for his visits was

changed, and unless he went out to dinner, he usually came in the

evening, thus attracting less notice, and moreover rendering it less

easy to lapse into the tender subject, as Alison was then at home, and

the conversation was necessarily more general.




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