n the terrace of the gay little restaurant in
Charlestown, where half the creole world of Nevis was to be met, and
upon one occasion he took several of the more venturesome out to
spear turtles, that Anne alone might be gratified. So far he had made
no declaration, and often stared at her with an apprehension and a
diffidence that seemed a travesty on the fettered and tortured soul
that looked from Warner's eyes; but his purpose showed no wavering,
despite the efforts of Lady Hunsdon and of Anne herself to bring him
to the feet of Lady Mary. That his mother was uneasy was manifest. She
was too worldly to pin her faith to the apparent indifference of any
portionless young woman to a wealthy peer of the realm, and the more
she saw of Anne Percy the less she favoured her as a daughter-in-law.
Lady Constance, who understood her perfectly, laughed outright one
evening as she intercepted a scowl directed at Hunsdon and Miss Percy,
who sat apart in one of the withdrawing-rooms.

"She won't have him. Do not worry."

"I am not at all sure. You forget that Hunsdon would be a great match
for any girl."

"She does not care two straws about making a great match."

"Fiddlesticks."

"She is made on the grand scale. Hunsdon is all very well, but he
makes no appeal to the imagination. I am almost glad Warner has made
such a wreck of himself. A handsome, dashing young poet, with the
world at his feet, might be fatal to her. Warner never was dashing, to
be sure, but he certainly was handsome ten years ago, and fame is a
dazzling halo."

"He improves every day, but he seems to fancy Miss Percy as little as
any of the others."

"Poor devil! I suppose he recalls the time when so many girls tried to
marry him. I cannot see much improvement myself, although he does not
look quite so much like a lost soul roaming about in search of a
respectable tenement. But his physical attraction is all gone. Not one
of the girls is in love with him, not one of the men jealous."

"Oh, certainly no woman could fall in love with him, any more than any
parent would accept him. And as he is quite safe I wish he would
command more of Miss Percy's attention, and leave her with the less to
bestow on Hunsdon."

"He is too much in love with her."

"What?"

"I seem to be the only person in Bath House with eyes in my head. He
is desperately, miserably, in love with her, and too conscious of his
own ruin, too respectful of her, to dream of addressing her.