"I am so sorry," said Rachel, "but I was engaged, and it seems I am really wanted." Walter Cornbury bowed very stiffly, and there was an end of his flirtation. "That's the sort of thing that always happens when a fellow comes among this sort of people!" It was thus he consoled himself as he went down solitary to his supper. "That's all right," said Rowan; "now we've Cherry for our vis-à-vis, and after that we'll go down to supper comfortably." "But I said I'd go with him." "You can't now, for he has gone without you. What a brick Cherry is! Do you know what she said of you?" "No; do tell me." "I won't. It will make you vain." "Oh, dear no; but I want Cherry to like me, because I am so fond of her." "She says you're by far-- But I won't tell you. I hate compliments, and that would look like one. Come, who's forgetting the figure now? I shouldn't wonder if young Cornbury went into the brewery and drowned himself in one of the vats." It was very nice,--very nice indeed. This was her third dance with Luke Rowan, and she was beginning to think that the other two might perhaps come off without any marked impropriety on her part. She was a little unhappy about Mr. Cornbury,--on his cousin's account rather than on his own. Mrs. Cornbury had been so kind to her that she ought to have remained with Walter when he desired it. So she told herself;--but yet she liked being taken down to supper by Luke Rowan. She had one other cause of uneasiness. She constantly caught Mrs. Tappitt's eye fixed upon herself, and whenever she did so Mrs. Tappitt's eye seemed to look unkindly at her. She had also an instinctive feeling that Augusta did not regard her with favour, and that this disfavour arose from Mr. Rowan's attentions. It was all very nice; but still she felt that there was danger around her, and sometimes she would pause a moment in her happiness, and almost tremble as she thought of things. She was dividing herself poles asunder from Mrs. Prime. "And now we'll go to supper," said Rowan. "Come, Cherry; do you and Boyd go on first." Boyd was a friend of Rowan's. "Do you know, I've done such a clever trick. This is my second descent among the eatables. As I belong in a manner to the house I took down Miss Harford, and hovered about her for five minutes. Then I managed to lose myself in the crowd, and coming up here got the music up. The fellows were just going off. We've plenty of time now, because they're in the kitchen eating and drinking. I contrived all that dodge that I might give you this glass of wine with my own hands." "Oh, Mr. Rowan, it was very wrong!" "And that's my reward! I don't care about its being wrong as long as it's pleasant." "What shocking morality!" "All is fair in-- Well, never mind, you'll own it is pleasant." "Oh, yes; it's very pleasant." "Then I'm contented, and will leave the moral of it for Mr. Cornbury. I'll tell you something further if you'll let me." "Pray don't tell me anything that you ought not."