She did not wish him to be kind to her; she resented his interference too deeply and maliciously; she did not wish to be in the slightest degree softened to him. But he did not see the expression on her face, or the mocking, spiteful smile on her lips, so he retained a certain feeling of pity and self-reproach, as he thought to himself, with a sigh: "If only Eva had been well and strong, her influence might have done something, even with Trixie." And this touch of self-accusation with regard to Beatrix was, though unsuspected by the two conspirators, about the most fortunate thing that could have happened to further Miss Forsyth's silence. For it caused Rex, by a mistaken sort of loyalty to the girl who, he fancied, had appealed to his kindlier judgment, to measure his words about her, to be chary of repeating the warnings he had already hinted to Imogen. Not, perhaps, that she would now have believed them; they might, however, not improbably have made a barrier between herself and her first friend, Major Winchester, and thus prevented the success of Mabella's plot. In spite of Trixie's manoeuvres, Imogen found herself at luncheon beside Florence. Beatrix, however, was just opposite, so that any sort of _rapprochement_ between the young girl and her neighbour was impossible. Florence herself was not brave enough to dare the mocking glances of her younger sister's eyes, and her well-meant attempts at conversation fell flat, while her somewhat constrained manner only added to Imogen's prejudice. "She speaks to me as if I were about two years old," thought the girl. "Of course she _is_ much, much older than I; but still, even Major Winchester, who is nearly as old as mamsey, I daresay, speaks to me as if I had some sense." And happening at the moment to glance down the long table, she caught his eye. He was looking towards her, in search of her, with a certain concern and anxiety which Imogen was at once conscious of. She felt herself blush a little, even as she responded to his inaudible inquiry with the tiniest nod and smile of reassurance. "I'm all right, thank you," they seemed to say. And, "How kind he is! How nice it is to feel that there is one person among all these strangers who cares a little for me already!" she thought with a little thrill, as she caught the smile on Rex's face in return.