did a good deal there, having only one young maid for the
rougher work. She had taken lessons in the School of Cookery, and
practised a good deal even at Micklethwayte, and she was proud of her
skill and economy. Mark came in for his mid-day refreshment, and
looked greatly brightened, as if the worst had come and was by no means
so bad as he expected. All the time he had been at Mr. Dutton's he had
been depressed and anxious, but now, with his boy on his knee, he was
merrier than Nuttie had ever known him. As to exercise, there were
delightful evening walks, sometimes early marketings in the long summer
mornings before business began--and altogether it seemed, as Nuttie
told her father afterwards, as if she had had a glimpse into a little
City Arcadia.

'Hein!' said he, 'how long will it last?'

And Nuttie was carried away to Cowes, where he had been persuaded to
recur to his old favourite sport of yachting. She would have rather
liked this if Clarence Fane had not been there too, and continually
haunting them. She had been distrustful of him ever since Annaple's
warning, and it became a continual worry to the motherless girl to
decide whether his civil attentions really meant anything, or whether
she were only foolish and ridiculous in not accepting them as freely
and simply as before.

Of one thing she became sure, namely, that Gregorio was doing whatever
in him lay to bring them together.

In this seaside temporary abode, great part of the London establishment
was left behind, and Gregorio condescended to act the part of butler,
with only a single man-servant under him, and thus he had much more
opportunity of regulating the admission of visitors than at home; and
he certainly often turned Mr. Fane in upon her, when she had intended
that gentleman to be excluded, and contrived to turn a deaf or
uncomprehending ear when she desired that there should be no admission
of visitors unless her father was absolutely ready for them; and also
there were times when he must have suggested an invitation to dinner,
or a joining in a sail. No doubt Gregorio would have been delighted to
see her married, and to be thus free from any counter influence over
his master; but as she said to herself, 'Catch me! Even if I cared a
rush for the man, I could not do it. I don't do my poor father much
good, but as to leaving poor little Alwyn in his clutches--I must be
perfectly demented with love even to think of it.'

There was