me in the Park, taking off his hat with a civil bow, as if
he had only been introduced the night before. All this I couldn't make
out, and I didn't half like, as I told Lady Scapegrace one hot
morning, sitting with her in her boudoir. I was a good deal at Lady
Scapegrace's now, and the more so because that was the place of all
others at which I was least likely to meet Sir Guy. "Men are so
uncertain, my dear," said her ladyship, sitting in a morning
deshabille, with her long black hair combed straight out over her
shoulders and reaching nearly to her knees. "If you ask me candidly
whether he _means_ anything, I tell you I think Frank Lovell a
shocking flirt." "_Flirt!_" I replied, half crying with vexation.
"It's time enough for him to _flirt_ with me when I give him any
encouragement. But I don't, Lady Scapegrace, and I never will. I hope
I'm too proud for that. Only when a man is always in _one's pocket_
wherever one goes; when he sends one bouquets, and rides out in the
rain to get one's bracelet mended, and watches one from a corner of
the room if one happens to be dancing with anybody else, and looks
pleased when one is dull and cross when one laughs--why, he either
does prefer, or ought to prefer, one's society to that of Miss
Molasses and Mrs. Lumley, and that is why I tell you I can't quite
make out Captain Lovell."

"Don't talk of that odious woman," exclaimed Lady Scapegrace, between
whom and Mrs. Lumley there was a polite feud of some years' standing.
"She is ready and willing to jump down Frank Lovell's throat, or any
one else's for the matter of that, so bold as she is, and so utterly
regardless--such stories, my dear. But take my advice, Kate: play that
cheerful cousin of yours against Master Frank. I never knew it fail
yet if you only go the right way to work. Men are not only very vain,
but very jealous. Don't let him think you are going _to marry_ your
cousin, or he may consider it a capital arrangement and a sort of
matter-of-course affair, which is all in his favour. Men like Frank
always prefer other people's property, and I have no doubt he would be
over head and ears in love with you if you were not single. So don't
be going to marry Mr. Jones, but just appeal to him about every
earthly thing you do or say, look after him when he leaves the room,
as if you couldn't bear him out of your sight. Get Frank to abuse him
if you can, and then fight his battles fiercely; and directly the
latter thinks the