She nodded her saucy head in the direction of Trevor, who was bending over Tiny--she looking shyly conscious and happy--while Lady Rea beamed upon them both; and Sir Hampton thought so deeply with his eyes closed, that he emitted something much like a stertorous snore. "Yes, dear old Dick's very happy," said Pratt, gravely. "Rich, loved, and with the fixture all sunshine. She's a sweet girl." "Yes, a rose--with a thorn of a sister, ready to pester her husband," said Fin. "Yes, Mr Pratt, you had better go. It is not good for young men to be idle." "So I have been thinking," said Pratt--"especially poor fellows like myself." "How is our little friend?" said Fin, maliciously. "What little friend?" "The little, round-cheeked niece of Mrs Lloyd--Polly, isn't her name?" "Really, I don't know, Miss Rea," said Pratt, smiling. "Fie, Mr Pratt!" said Fin. "Why, you are always being seen with her in the lane. Is it true you are to be engaged?" Pratt looked at her sharply. "Does it give you so much pleasure to tease?" he said, quietly. "Tease? I thought it was a settled thing." "I don't think you did," said Pratt, quietly. "Well," said Fin, laughing, "Mr Mervyn told me the other day that--oh, look at that now!" The last words were said by Fin to herself; for as she mentioned Mr Mervyn's name Pratt turned slowly away, and going to a table began to turn over the leaves of a book. In the meantime Lady Rea had had a few words with Trevor. "I declare I felt quite frightened of her, my dear." "It's her way only," said Trevor, smiling. "She nursed me like a mother, Lady Rea; and she and her husband have for years done almost as they liked here, only checked by the agent and my poor father's executors, who seem to have come down once a year to look at the place so long as they lived; but they have both gone now." "She looked dreadfully cross, though, at Tiny--just as if, my dear, she was horribly jealous of her. And now, Richard, my dear, you won't be offended if I ask a favour of you?" "Certainly not," said Trevor, in the same low whisper in which the conversation was carried on. "Then make her send that niece of hers away. After what you told me, I'm sure it would be for the best; because while she is here the poor woman will always be thinking of her disappointed plans." "Well, but," said Trevor, smiling, "I was thinking of hurrying on her marriage with my keeper, Humphrey; the poor fellow is desperately fond of her, and, as far as I can make out, the feeling is mutual." "Oh, if that's it," said Lady Rea, "pray don't do anything to make the young people unhappy." "Yes, Trevor," said Sir Hampton, "fifty feet by twenty will be the size." The conversation was carried on henceforth in voices pitched now in the normal key.