"Why, Bessy, how is that?" said her father, looking much amused, "Mrs. Hollingsworth's balls are excellent, and there is Charles Hollingsworth for your partner." "My dear father, I will not subject myself to the annoyance of being in his company," said Elizabeth in the same low tone, "I consider myself very much aggrieved by that person." "Why, my dear, he would make you an offer to-morrow, if you would give him any hope." "But do you not see," said Elizabeth, "that he owes it to me to give me the power to put a stop to his attentions, if they are unpleasing to me. There is something of cowardice in subjecting one, without ceasing, to civilities which must end in nothing, but which, in the meantime, cause a great deal of gossip, and which a woman has no power to arrest except by a refusal. I consider myself," said she, half laughing, "very unjustly treated by Mr. Hollingsworth." "And Mrs. Hollingsworth has the match so much at heart," said Captain Gage, taking up the note which accompanied the cards; "here you see she begs us to dine and dress at her house. Offers beds: but you are made of flint." "She does not offer to send Mr. Charles out of the way," said Elizabeth, "do not go, my dear father, for my sake." "And here is a card for Sir Philip," continued Captain Gage, "what say you d'Eyncourt, have you any fancy to go to this ball?" "If Miss Gage had intended to go," said Sir Philip, looking up from the paper with his usual gravity, "I should have liked to see her dance; but as she declines I shall be obliged to you to include me in your refusal." "No one has seen me dance within the memory of man, Sir Philip," said Elizabeth, smiling, "I walk through one quadrille always for form's sake." "Well then, Bessy, write a civil refusal, full of regrets," said Captain Gage, laying the note before her, "I must go and speak to Meadows about the carriage horses." She took up a pen. Sir Philip drew his chair nearer to hers. "How shall you decline?" he asked. Elizabeth thought him rather curious, but as he was partly interested in the matter, she replied at once: "I shall be able to tell her fortunately, that we are expecting some friends to stay with us the week after next." "And if she should invite the friends?" "Nay, that would be very malicious," said Elizabeth, laughing. "But supposing such a case," said Sir Philip. "Still fortune favours me," said Elizabeth, "for the friends we expect are an elderly couple, who certainly would not go to a ball." "If the lady has a great interest in your coming, I think she would hardly give you up so easily," remarked Sir Philip. "Ah! Sir Philip," said Elizabeth turning to him with a smile and a blush, "you chanced to hear what my father and I were talking about. Happily there is no one whom I should so little regret overhearing us." "And why so?"