‘_I_ never said she had repeated tales against any one,’ I remarked quietly; ‘but I conclude from your observations that you have read the letter yourself, Miss Markham.’ She coloured still deeper at this insinuation, but she was not to be caught by it. She was an old war-horse, and had been in battle too often to lose her vantage-ground so easily. ‘No, I have not!’ she said as stoutly as if she were speaking the truth. ‘I receive too many letters of my own to have any time to spare for Mrs. Carolus’s rubbish. But, knowing her as well as I do, I am perfectly aware that she is not likely to exchange ten minutes’ conversation with any woman without trying to damage the reputation of another.’ I felt this conclusion to be so true that I had nothing to say in reply, and, the meal being ended, Mr. Lovett proposed they should walk towards the Château des Roses, where the meet for the boar-hunt was to take place. ‘Are you really going to walk up the hill?’ cried Miss Sophy, with sudden animation, as though the thought had never struck her before. ‘Then I shall walk with you—that is,’ with an arch look at Charteris, ‘if you will consent to be troubled with a stupid thing like me. I love a brisk walk in the morning. There is nothing like it for health. I always go on principle; and as for Tiddy boy, he couldn’t eat his dinner if he hadn’t a run first. Could you, my Sweetikins?’ Sweetikins and Mr. Charteris and Mr. Lovett having simultaneously declared that there was nothing they would enjoy so much as the company of the fair Sophia, they all set off together to walk up the hill, whilst Tessie and Ange looked after them from the window with wistful eyes. I thought how they would have enjoyed to see the hunting-party start; how Tessie would have admired her Baron on horseback, and little Ange would have been pleased with everything; and I asked them why they had not also proposed to accompany their father. ‘Oh no!’ said Tessie, almost shrinking at the idea. ‘Papa would have mentioned it if he had wished us to go. Besides, we have so many things to keep us at home. We are not idle people like Sophy Markham. Didn’t she go on in a horrid manner with Mr. Charteris, Hilda, shaking her head at him in that absurd way? I felt so ashamed of her.’ ‘He doesn’t like it; that’s one comfort!’ observed Ange, over her shoulder. ‘No, I should hope he had better taste, or he would hardly be pleasant company for us,’ I responded heartily. I had done with him myself, but it would have been a step lower to take in humiliation, to have watched him in an earnest flirtation with such a battered heart as that of Miss Sophy Markham. ‘I do not think Mr. Charteris is the sort of man that either of you will make a _friend_ of; but the acquaintanceship even of one who brought Miss Markham in his train would not be calculated to render our home more comfortable.’ The girls both looked startled at my assertion.