him
not. I don't know why I should be spoke to like this," cried the little
coquette, with tears, "for I never was one as looked at a gentleman;
it's them," with a sob, "as comes after me."

"Rosa," said Mr Elsworthy, much alarmed, "your aunt is sure to be
looking out for you, and I don't want you here, not now; nor I don't
want you again for errands, and don't you forget. If it hadn't been that
Mr Wentworth thought you a silly little thing, and had a kind feeling
for my missis and me, you don't think he'd have took that charge of
you?--and I won't have my clergyman, as has always been good to me and
mine, made a talk of. You'll excuse me, ma'am," he said, in an under
tone, as Rosa reluctantly went away--not to her aunt, however, but again
to her parcel at the other end of the shop--"she aint used to being
talked to. She's but a child, and don't know no better: and after all,"
said Rosa's uncle, with a little pride, "she is a tender-hearted little
thing--she don't know no better, ma'am; she's led away by a kind
word--for nobody can say but she's wonderful pretty, as is very plain to
see."

"Is she?" said Miss Dora, following the little culprit to the
back-counter with disenchanted eyes. "Then you had better take all the
better care of her, Mr Elsworthy," she said, with again a little
asperity. The fact was, that Miss Dora had behaved very injudiciously,
and was partly aware of it; and then this prettiness of little Rosa's,
even though it shone at the present moment before her, was not so plain
to her old-maidenly eyes. She did not make out why everybody was so sure
of it, nor what it mattered; and very probably, if she could have had
her own way, would have liked to give the little insignificant thing a
good shake, and asked her how she dared to attract the eye of the
Perpetual Curate. As she could not do this, however, Miss Dora gathered
up her wool, and refused to permit Mr Elsworthy to send it home for her.
"I can carry it quite well myself," said the indignant little woman. "I
am sure you must have a great deal too much for your boys to do, or you
would not send your niece about with the things. But if you will take my
advice, Mr Elsworthy," said Miss Dora, "you will take care of that poor
little thing: she will be getting ridiculous notions into her head;" and
aunt Dora went out of the shop with great solemnity, quite unaware that
she had done more to put ridiculous notions into Rosa's head than could
have got t