r the benefit of
her health, whom she generally was forced to nurse; of the trouble it
was to her to look after and wait upon her numerous servants; of the
tricks she played to bamboozle people who came to stare at her; and,
lastly, she told him of a lover who followed her from country to
country, and was now in hot pursuit of her, having arrived in London
the evening before she left.

"A lover?" said Frank, somewhat startled by the suddenness of the
confidence.

"A lover--yes--Mr Gresham; why should I not have a lover?"

"Oh!--no--of course not. I dare say you have a good many."

"Only three or four, upon my word; that is, only three or four that I
favour. One is not bound to reckon the others, you know."

"No, they'd be too numerous. And so you have three whom you favour,
Miss Dunstable;" and Frank sighed, as though he intended to say that
the number was too many for his peace of mind.

"Is not that quite enough? But of course I change them sometimes;"
and she smiled on him very good-naturedly. "It would be very dull if
I were always to keep the same."

"Very dull indeed," said Frank, who did not quite know what to say.

"Do you think the countess would mind my having one or two of them
here if I were to ask her?"

"I am quite sure she would," said Frank, very briskly. "She would not
approve of it at all; nor should I."

"You--why, what have you to do with it?"

"A great deal--so much so that I positively forbid it; but, Miss
Dunstable--"

"Well, Mr Gresham?"

"We will contrive to make up for the deficiency as well as possible,
if you will permit us to do so. Now for myself--"

"Well, for yourself?"

At this moment the countess gleamed her accomplished eye round the
table, and Miss Dunstable rose from her chair as Frank was preparing
his attack, and accompanied the other ladies into the drawing-room.

His aunt, as she passed him, touched his arm lightly with her fan, so
lightly that the action was perceived by no one else. But Frank well
understood the meaning of the touch, and appreciated the approbation
which it conveyed. He merely blushed, however, at his own
dissimulation; for he felt more certain that ever that he would never
marry Miss Dunstable, and he felt nearly equally sure that Miss
Dunstable would never marry him.

Lord de Courcy was now at home; but his presence did not add much
hilarity to the claret-cup. The young men, however, were very keen
about the election, and Mr Nearthewind