She was wearing a dress of glistening tussore silk, and had delicate safrano roses at her throat and in her waist-band. Her golden hair, rolled back from her brow, was gathered in a loose knot low in her neck. Her face sparkled with animation, her large hazel eyes had lost none of their transparent sincerity. She had a habit of allowing her glance to travel round a room before it fell on the persons occupying it; thus recognition was with her illumination. As she came forward with a buoyant step the old-fashioned harmony of the room enhanced her charm. The white velvet carpet, the faded delicacy of century-old brocade, the soft wax-lights reflected on ormolu and crystal, at once softened and heightened her loveliness. And now she looked from the Admiral to Mrs. Hennifer with a smile of artlessly perfect confidence. When she reached them she clasped her hands over his arm as he leant against the mantelpiece and kissed him. 'If I did not know conspirators were not necessarily traitors, I should be afraid of this _tête-à-tête_,' she said. He took hold of her hands and held her from him at arm's length, gazing at her long and tenderly. 'And so, Cynthy, you mean to have him in spite of us all?' 'Why in spite of you all? You are not going to be prejudiced against some one you do not know. Wait till you know him, grandpapa.' 'But how am I to know him?' 'You will ask him here, of course--at least surely you will?' she said, a look of alarm dawning in her eyes. 'But how can I ask him, as what?' She blushed rosily. 'He will be writing to you. You want to know him, don't you--you and grandmamma, and you too?' she added, turning to Mrs. Hennifer. 'Cynthy, you are an innocent, a simpleton,' said the Admiral. 'Don't you see what a hocus-pocus you have made? I will ask no man here on the understanding that he may make love to you; no, by George! You haven't thought sufficient of yourself, you never did, and you never will. You have let this Danby make up to you as though you were an ordinary nobody, you've waived all ceremony. I may be old-fashioned in my notions, but he should have asked me before you, and to do that he'd have had to come to Lafer without an invitation, and that's what he'll have to do now. I'll make no promises until he acts like a man, and then I'll take time to consider if he's a gentleman; yes, by George!' As he spoke she flushed scarlet, half in shame, half fear; but now her face cleared in an instant, and she laughed, clasping her hands, then flinging them apart, as she had a habit of doing when excited. 'Darling grandpapa,' she said, 'don't you know the north wind always gives me the shivers, it blusters so?' He pulled one of her little ears. 'Minx, disarming puss, syren!' he said.