“I am not jealous, Nelly. I'm angry; but it is with myself. I ought to have known what humble pretensions mine were, and I ought to have known how certainly a young lady, bred as young ladies are now-a-days, would regard them as less than humble; but it all comes of this idle shore-going, good-for-nothing life. They 'll not catch me at it again, that's all.” “Just listen to me patiently, Jack. Listen to me for one moment.” “Not for half a moment. I can guess everything you want to say to me, and I tell you frankly, I don't care to hear it. Tell me whatever you like to-morrow--” He tried to finish his speech, but his voice grew thick and faltering, and he turned away and was silent. They spoke little to each other as they walked homewards. A chance remark on the weather, or the scenery, was all that passed till they reached the little lawn before the door. “You'll not forget your pledge, Jack, for to-morrow?” said Ellen, as he turned towards her before ascending the steps. “I 'll not forget it,” said he, coldly, and he moved off as he spoke, and entered an alley of the shrubbery. CHAPTER XVIII. A DULL DINNER. The family dinner on that day at Castello was somewhat dull. The various attempts to secure a party for the ensuing Saturday, which had been fixed on to celebrate Jack's promotion, had proved failures. When Temple arrived at Longworth's he learned that the host and 'his guest were from home and not to return for some days--we have seen how it fared as to the L'Estranges--so that the solitary success was Captain Craufurd, a gentleman who certainly had not won the suffrages of the great house. There were two vacant places besides at the table; for butlers are fond of recording, by napkins and covers, how certain of our friends assume to treat us, and thus, as it were, contrast their own formal observances of duty with the laxer notions of their betters. “Lord Culduff is not able to dine with us,” said Colonel Bramleigh, making the apology as well to himself as to the company. “No, papa,” said Marion; “he hopes to appear in the drawing-room in the evening.” “If not too much tired by his long walk,” broke in Jack. “What walk are you dreaming of?” asked Marion. “An excursion he made this morning down the coast, sketching or pretending to sketch. Nelly and I saw him clambering up the side of a cliff--” “Oh, quite impossible; you must be mistaken.” “No,” said Nelly, “there was no mistake. I saw him as plainly as I see you now; besides, it is not in these wild regions so distinguished a figure is like to find its counterpart.” “But why should he not take his walk? why not sketch, or amuse himself in any way he pleased?” asked Temple. “Of course it was open to him to do so,” said the Colonel; “only that to excuse his absence he ought not to have made a pretext of being ill.”