urcy Castle
that evening was not a particularly pleasant meal.

This much, however, had been absolutely decided before the yellow
committee concluded their labour at the White Horse: there should be
a petition. Mr Nearthewinde had not been asleep, and already knew
something of the manner in which Mr Reddypalm's mind had been
quieted.

CHAPTER XVIII

The Rivals

The intimacy between Frank and Miss Dunstable grew and prospered.
That is to say, it prospered as an intimacy, though perhaps hardly
as a love affair. There was a continued succession of jokes between
them, which no one else in the castle understood; but the very fact
of there being such a good understanding between them rather stood
in the way of, than assisted, that consummation which the countess
desired. People, when they are in love with each other, or even when
they pretend to be, do not generally show it by loud laughter. Nor is
it frequently the case that a wife with two hundred thousand pounds
can be won without some little preliminary despair. Now there was no
despair at all about Frank Gresham.

Lady de Courcy, who thoroughly understood that portion of the world
in which she herself lived, saw that things were not going quite as
they should do, and gave much and repeated advice to Frank on the
subject. She was the more eager in doing this, because she imagined
Frank had done what he could to obey her first precepts. He had not
turned up his nose at Miss Dunstable's curls, nor found fault with
her loud voice: he had not objected to her as ugly, nor even shown
any dislike to her age. A young man who had been so amenable to
reason was worthy of further assistance; and so Lady de Courcy did
what she could to assist him.

"Frank, my dear boy," she would say, "you are a little too noisy, I
think. I don't mean for myself, you know; I don't mind it. But Miss
Dunstable would like it better if you were a little more quiet with
her."

"Would she, aunt?" said Frank, looking demurely up into the
countess's face. "I rather think she likes fun and noise, and that
sort of thing. You know she's not very quiet herself."

"Ah!--but Frank, there are times, you know, when that sort of thing
should be laid aside. Fun, as you call it, is all very well in its
place. Indeed, no one likes it better than I do. But that's not the
way to show admiration. Young ladies like to be admired; and if
you'll be a little more soft-mannered with Miss Dunstable, I'm sure