needle poised; for none
should know of her presence in this place save her father. When she saw
who was her visitor, she rose. After greeting and compliment, none too
finely put, but more generous than fitted with Jersey parsimony, the
gentleman of Rozel came at once to the point.

"My name is none too bad," said he--"Raoul Lempriere, of the Lemprieres
that have been here since Rollo ruled in Normandy. My estate is none
worse than any in the whole islands; I have more horses and dogs than
any gentleman of my acres; and I am more in favour at court than De
Carteret of St. Ouen's. I am the Queen's butler, and I am the first that
royal favour granted to set up three dove-cotes, one by St. Aubin's, one
by St. Helier's, and one at Rozel: and--and," he added, with a lumbering
attempt at humour--"and, on my oath, I'll set up another dove-cote with
out my sovereign's favour, with your leave alone. By our Lady, I do
love that colour in yon cheek! Just such a colour had my mother when
she snatched from the head of my cousin of Carteret's milk-maid wife
the bonnet of a lady of quality and bade her get to her heifers. God's
beauty! but 'tis a colour of red primroses in thy cheeks and blue
campions in thine eyes. Come, I warrant I can deepen that colour"--he
bowed low--"Madame of Rozel, if it be not too soon!"

The girl listened to this cheerful and loquacious proposal and courtship
all in one, ending with the premature bestowal of a title, in mingled
anger, amusement, disdain, and apprehension. Her heart fluttered, then
stood still, then flew up in her throat, then grew terribly hot and hurt
her, so that she pressed her hand to her bosom as though that might ease
it. By the time he had finished, drawn himself up, and struck his foot
upon the ground in burly emphasis of his devoted statements, the girl
had sufficiently recovered to answer him composedly, and with a little
glint of demure humour in her eyes. She loved another man; she did
not care so much as a spark for this happy, swearing, swashbuckling
gentleman; yet she saw he had meant to do her honour. He had treated her
as courteously as was in him to do; he chose her out from all the ladies
of his acquaintance to make her an honest offer of his hand--he had
said nothing about his heart; he would, should she marry him, throw her
scraps of good-humour, bearish tenderness, drink to her health among his
fellows, and respect and admire her--even exalt her almost to the rank
of a