She looked surprised at the unnecessary attention, but took it; and they went out through the French window into the broad verandah, the glass door swinging to after them. "What a sweet pair they'll make, James, dear," said Mrs Wilton, smiling fondly after her son. "How nicely she takes to our dear boy!" "Yes, like the rest of the idiots. Girl always says snap to the first coat and trousers that come near her." "Oh, James, dear! you shouldn't say that I'm sure I didn't!" "You! Well, upon my soul! How you can stand there and utter such a fib! But never mind; it's going to be easy enough, and we'll get it over as soon as we decently can, if you don't make some stupid blunder and spoil it." "James, dear!" "Be just like you. But a nice letter I've had from John Garstang about that mortgage. Never mind, though; once this is over I can snap my fingers at him. So be as civil as you can; and I suppose we must give him some of the best wine." "Yes, dear, and have out the china dinner service." "Of course. But I wish you'd put him into a damp bed." "Oh, James, dear! I couldn't do that." "Yes, you could; give him rheumatic fever and kill him. But I suppose you won't." "Indeed I will not, dear. There are many wicked things that I feel I could do, but put a Christian man into a damp bed--no!" "Humph! Well, then, don't; but I hope that boy will be careful and not scare Kitty." "What, Claud? Oh, no, my dear, don't be afraid of that. My boy is too clever; and, besides, he's beginning to love the very ground she walks on. Really, it seems to me quite a Heaven-made matter." "Always is, my dear, when the lady has over a hundred thousand pounds," said Wilton, with a grim smile; "but we shall see." CHAPTER EIGHT. "I say, don't be in such a jolly hurry. You're all right here, you know. I want to talk to you." "You really must excuse me now, Claud; I have not been well, and I'm going back to my room." "Of course you haven't been well, Kitty--I say, I shall call you Kitty, you know--you can't expect to be well moping upstairs in your room. I'll soon put you right, better than that solemn-looking Doctor. You want to be out in the woods and fields. I know the country about here splendidly. I say, you ride, don't you?" "I? No." "Then I'll teach you. Get your old maid to make you a good long skirt-- that will do for a riding-habit at first--I'll clap the side-saddle on my cob, and soon show you how to ride like a plucky girl should. I say, Kitty, I'll hold you on at first--tight." The speaker smiled at her, and the girl shrank from him, but he did not see it. "You'll soon ride, and then you and I will have the jolliest of times together. I'll make you ride so that by this time next year you'll follow the hounds, and top a hedge with the best of them." "Oh, no, I have no wish to ride, Claud."