She looked as politely indifferent as possible, not sufficiently so to offend him, but enough to show him that she felt no great interest in the conversation. He could not find any excuse for delaying any longer, but he left her with the determination to see her again as soon as possible. "The ball has been a brilliant success," said the earl. "Have you enjoyed it, Doris?" "Yes," she replied, "I liked Prince Poermal, and I liked the Duke of Eastham, but I did not like all my partners." Lord Linleigh laughed. "That is hardly to be supposed," he said. "If it be not a rude question, which of them did your ladyship dislike?" "Dislike is too strong a word, papa. I did not care about Lord Vivianne; he tired me very much. How can people admire him?" "You do not like him?" said the earl. "I suppose it does not much matter, but I am rather sorry. He seemed to take a great fancy to me, and pressed me to try shooting with him. If you do not like him, I shall not." She laughed. "There is no need for that, papa: it does not quite follow that because he is not to my taste, he is not to yours, does it?" "No; but he spoke of calling on us, and did his best to make me understand that he wished to be on visiting terms with us." "Why not?" she asked, indolently. "If you do not like him, Doris, I should never care to see him inside our doors." "I do not like him as a partner, papa; perhaps as a visitor to the house I might like him very well indeed. He tired me with his incessant questions and compliments." "Perhaps he was very much charmed with you," said the earl, laughingly. "I must say, no one ever showed a greater desire to be on intimate terms with me than he did. I asked him to dine on Thursday--the Bishop of Lingham is coming--and we shall see if he improves upon acquaintance." "He seemed to me very polite and pleasing," said the countess, quietly. And then they spoke no more of Lord Vivianne, but Lady Studleigh thought of him incessantly. She had made the greatest effort, which was talking to him, parrying his questions, assuming a part, and carrying it on for some time. She had said to herself that the danger was averted, that she had no more to fear, but she found that she was wrong. In his eyes she read a fixed determination to know her--a doubt that all her skill had not been able to solve, all her talent had not prevented. She felt this; she understood that although he had seemed to acquiesce in all she said, in his own mind suspicion still lingered. CHAPTER LXV. "IF SHE REFUSES, LET HER BEWARE!"