t the astute little woman, "the boys' settlement is
out of her power to revoke; but it would be rather good if she came to
live with us, instead of filling the pockets of this prim, presumptuous,
self-satisfied old maid. I am sure she is awfully selfish, and I do hate
selfishness."

So reflecting, she descended serene and smiling. Half an hour after, she
had so completely recovered herself as to declare she had never seen the
boys look so well, that they were quite grown, etc., etc.

After dinner Cecil displayed his exercise and copy books, and received a
due meed of praise, not unmixed with a little sarcastic remark or two
respecting the wonderful effect of his aunt's influence, which did not
escape the notice of her son, who felt, though he did not understand
why, that she was not quite so well pleased as she affected to be.

"And don't you feel dreadfully dull here?" asked Mrs. Ormonde, as the
sisters-in-law strolled along the beach under the shelter of the east
cliff, which hid them from the bright morning sunlight.

"No, not as yet. I should not like to live here always; but at present I
like the place. You must confess it is very pretty."

"Yes, just now, when the weather is fine. When you have rain and a gale,
it must be fearfully dreary."

"We have had some rough days, but the bay has a beauty of its own even
in a storm, and we shall not be here in the winter."

"De Burgh runs down to see you pretty often?" asked Mrs. Ormonde, after
a short pause. The old regimental habit of calling men by their surnames
still returned when she was off guard.

"Yes," replied Katherine, calmly; "he seems to enjoy a day by the
sea-side."

Mrs. Ormonde laughed--a hard laugh. "I dare say _you_ enjoy it too."

"Mr. De Burgh is not particularly sympathetic to me, but I like him
better than I did."

"Oh, I dare say he makes himself very pleasant to you, and I never knew
him show attention to an unmarried woman before, nor to many married
women either. Of course it would be absurd to suppose that if you had
not a good fortune you would see quite so much of him."

"Naturally," returned Katherine. "I fancy my money would be of great use
to him; so it would to most men. That does not affect me. If it is an
incentive to make them agreeable and useful, why, so be it."

"I did not expect to hear _you_ talk like that. Now I hate and despise
mercenary men."

"Well, you see, the man or the woman _must_ have money or there can be