Just then, Lady Martlett uttered a low sigh, biting her lip directly after, in vexation at her weakness, for Scales had sauntered by the French window, engagingly open as it was like a trap, with her inside as a most attractive bait, and without so much as once glancing in. "I believe he knows I'm in here alone," she said to herself angrily; "and he has gone by on purpose to pique me. It is his conceit. He thinks I care for him. Oh, it is unbearable!" she cried impetuously. "I'll bring him as a supplicant to my knees; and when I do," she continued, with a flash of triumph in her dark eyes, "he shall know what it is to have slighted and laughed at me!" She fanned her flaming cheeks, and started up to pace the room, when once more there was the sound of the doctor's footsteps, as, in utter ignorance of Lady Martlett's presence, he returned along the gravel walk, thinking deeply over the knotty points of his patient's case. Lady Martlett threw herself back in her seat, composed her features, but could not chase away the warm flush of resentment upon her checks. She, however, assumed an air of haughty languor, and appeared to be gazing at the landscape framed in by the open window. "Heigh-ho-ha-hum!" sighed, or rather half-yawned Jack Scales, as he turned in at the window very slowly and thoughtfully, and for the moment did not see that the room was occupied. Lady Martlett put her own interpretation upon the noise made by the doctor--she mentally called it a sigh, and her heart gave a satisfied throb as she told herself that he was touched--that her triumph was near at hand when she would humble him; and then--well, cast him off. "Ah, Lady Martlett, you here?" he said coolly.--"What a lovely day!" "Yes, doctor; charming," she said, softening her voice. "And this is a lovely place.--Your home, the Court, is, of course, far more pretentious." "I was not aware that there was anything pretentious about Leigh Court," said Lady Martlett coldly. "Well, pretentious is perhaps not the word," said Jack, "I mean big and important, and solid and wealthy, and that sort of thing." "Oh, I see," said Lady Martlett. "And what I meant was, that this place is so much more charming, with its undulating lawn, its bosky clumps of evergreens, the pillar roses, and that wonderful clematis of which poor Scarlett is so fond." "You speak like a house-agent's catalogue. Doctor Scales," said Lady Martlett scornfully. "Yes, I do; don't I?" said Jack quietly, "But do you know, Lady Martlett, I often think that I could turn out a better description of a country estate than some of those fellows do?" "Indeed?" said her Ladyship. "Yes, indeed," said Jack, who eagerly assumed his bantering tones as soon as he was alone with Lady Martlett, telling himself it was a rest, and that it was a necessity to bring down her Ladyship's haughtiness.