"Rachel," said Mrs. Hardy, with sudden energy, "is not so simple as she seems. You mark my words, she will be as keen to make a good marriage as anybody as soon as she gets the chance." "Do you think so?" her daughter responded, looking up with her bright, quick eyes. "Now that is not at all my notion of her." "Nor was it mine at first, but I am getting new lights. It never does to trust to that demure kind of shy manner. I assure you she made such use of her opportunities this afternoon as surprised me, who am not easily surprised. In about ten minutes--I could not have been in Alston's more than ten minutes--they were on the most frank and friendly terms possible, and she had given him a rose to wear in his button-hole." "Nonsense!" "I assure you, yes. And I know, by the look of him, that he never saw through it. It is wonderful how even the cleverest men can be taken in by that _ingénue_ manner. He evidently thought her a sweet and unsophisticated child. Sweet she is--the most amiable little creature I ever knew; but she knows what she is about perfectly well." Mrs. Reade gazed into the fire again with thoughtful eyes; then after a pause she said: "I think you don't understand her, mamma. I think she really saw no more in Mr. Kingston than she would have seen in any poor young man without a penny." "No, Beatrice. She talked about his new house, and all the money he was going to spend on it, in a ridiculous way. She was completely fascinated by the subject." "I can't imagine little Rachel scheming to catch a rich husband," the young lady exclaimed, with a mocking, but pleasant laugh. "You don't see as much of her as I do, my dear Beatrice," her mother replied, with dignity. "If you did, you would know that she is as fond of money and luxury as any hardened woman of the world could be. She quite fondles the ornaments I have put in her room. She goes into raptures over the silver and china. A new dress sends her into ecstacies. She annoys me sometimes--showing people so plainly that she has never been used to anything nice. However, it will make it easier for me to settle her than I at first thought it would be. It will be all plain sailing with Mr. Kingston, you will see." "Mother," said Mrs. Reade--she only said "mother" when she was very much in earnest--"let me give you a word of advice. If you want to marry Rachel to Mr. Kingston--and I hope you will, for it would be a capital match--don't let her know anything about it; don't do anything to help it on; don't let her see what is coming--leave them both alone. I think I know her better than you do, and I have a pretty good idea of Mr. Kingston; and any sort of interference with either of them would be most injudicious--most dangerous. I shall see to-night--I'm sure I shall see in a moment----"