she began to prepare for her journey at once, that she
might be back in good time for the winter. But she felt very doubtful,
at leaving the Hall, whether she had done quite right in keeping her
suspicions of Dolly from Dolly's father. For with eyes which were
sharpened by jealousy for the interests, or at least the affections,
of her son, she had long perceived that his lady-love was playing a
dangerous game with Caryl Carne. Sometimes she believed that she ought
to speak of this, for the good of the family; because she felt the
deepest mistrust and dislike of Carne, who strictly avoided her whenever
he could; but on the other hand she found the subject most delicate and
difficult to handle. For she had taken good care at the outset not to be
here upon any false pretences. At the very first interview with her host
she had spoken of Blyth's attachment to his younger daughter, of which
the Admiral had heard already from that youthful sailor. And the Admiral
had simply said, as in Captain Twemlow's case: "Let us leave them to
themselves. I admire the young man. If she likes him, I shall make no
objection, when they are old enough, and things are favourable." And now
if she told him of the other love-affair, it would look like jealousy
of a rival. Perhaps a hundred times a day, as her love for gentle Faith
grew faster than her liking for the sprightly Dolly, she would sigh
that her son did not see things like herself; but bitter affliction had
taught her that the course of this life follows our own wishes about
as much as another man's dog heeds our whistle. But, for all that, this
good lady hoped some day to see things come round as she would like to
bring them.

"No wonder that we like her son so much," said Faith when they had done
waving handkerchiefs at the great yellow coach going slowly up the hill,
with its vast wicker basket behind, and the guard perched over it with
his blunderbus; "he takes after his mother in so many ways. They are
both so simple and unsuspicious, and they make the best of every one."

"Including themselves, I suppose," answered Dolly. "Well I like people
who have something on their minds, and make the worst of everybody. They
have so much more to talk about."

"You should never try to be sarcastic, dear. And you know that you don't
mean it. I am sure you don't like to have the worst made of yourself."

"Oh, I have long been used to that. And I never care about it, when I
know it is not tru