The Comtesse sat down, and then lolled back on the short grass. Her motions and her attitudes were the most easy and natural possible, yet her pose was charming. There was not a fold of her skirt but fell round her gracefully. From the challenging smile on her lips to the point of the little shoe which peeped out beneath her petticoat, there came an invitation to Captain Twinely--a suggestion that he, too, should sit gracefully on the grass. “Now, Una,” she said, “go and have your bathe, if you must do anything so foolish. We will wait for you here, the captain will amuse me till you return. Kiss me, child, before you go.” Una bent over her. “I’ll keep him,” whispered the Comtesse, “I’ll keep him, even if I have to allow the animal to embrace me. But, dear Una, do not be very long.” Una sped away. Hannah, heavily laden, and laughing now outright, followed her. “I never seen the like,” she said. “Didn’t I say to Master Neal last night that she was an early one? Eh, Miss Una, did you no take notice of the eyes of her? She’d wile the fishes out of the sea, or a bird off a bush, so she would, just by looking sweet at them. It’s queer manners they have where she comes from. I’m thinking that silly gowk of a captain’s no the first man she’s beguiled. I was counted a braw lass myself in me day, and one that could twine a lad round my thumb as fine as any, but I couldna have done thon, Miss Una.” Una gave a little shudder of disgust. “How could she bear to? How could she touch such a man?” “Ay, I was wondering that myself, her that’s so high falutin’ in her ways, and no like a common lassie. Not but what thon captain’s a clever enough cut of a man for them as thinks of nothing but a clean figure and a good leg. He’s no that ill-looking; but, eh, there’s a glint in his eye I wouldna trust. I pity the lassie that loves him. But there’s no fear of thon lady falling into sic a snare. She can mine herself well, I’m thinkin’.” They reached the cliff above the Pigeon Cave, and Una began her downward climb. Hannah stared at her in horror. “Mind yourself, Miss Una. You’re never going down there, are ye? And you expect me to break my old bones going after you, do ye? Faith and I willna avaw, I’d rather be back rolling my eyes at the captain and letting on to him that I wanted a kiss than go down yon cliff.” “Come,” said Una, “it looks worse than it is. Come, Hannah, you must come. Would you have the poor boy starve in the cave?”