oking pointedly
at Magdalen across the housekeeper, "I should stay at Aldborough
all through the autumn with the greatest pleasure. With the greatest
pleasure," he reiterated, repeating the words with a tender look for
Magdalen, and a spiteful accent for Mrs. Lecount.

Thus far Captain Wragge had remained silent; carefully noting in his
mind the promising possibilities of a separation between Mrs. Lecount
and her master which Noel Vanstone's little fretful outbreak had just
disclosed to him. An ominous trembling in the housekeeper's thin lips,
as her master openly exposed her family affairs before strangers, and
openly set her jealously at defiance, now warned him to interfere. If
the misunderstanding were permitted to proceed to extremities, there was
a chance that the invitation for that evening to Sea-view Cottage might
be put off. Now, as ever, equal to the occasion, Captain Wragge called
his useful information once more to the rescue. Under the learned
auspices of Joyce, he plunged, for the third time, into the ocean of
science, and brought up another pearl. He was still haranguing (on
Pneumatics this time), still improving Mrs. Lecount's mind with his
politest perseverance and his smoothest flow of language--when the
walking party stopped at Noel Vanstone's door.

"Bless my soul, here we are at your house, sir!" said the captain,
interrupting himself in the middle of one of his graphic sentences. "I
won't keep you standing a moment. Not a word of apology, Mrs. Lecount,
I beg and pray! I will put that curious point in Pneumatics more clearly
before you on a future occasion. In the meantime I need only repeat that
you can perform the experiment I have just mentioned to your own entire
satisfaction with a bladder, an exhausted receiver, and a square box. At
seven o'clock this evening, sir--at seven o'clock, Mrs. Lecount. We have
had a remarkably pleasant walk, and a most instructive interchange of
ideas. Now, my dear girl, your aunt is waiting for us."

While Mrs. Lecount stepped aside to open the garden gate, Noel Vanstone
seized his opportunity and shot a last tender glance at Magdalen, under
shelter of the umbrella, which he had taken into his own hands for
that express purpose. "Don't forget," he said, with the sweetest smile;
"don't forget, when you come this evening, to wear that charming hat!"
Before he could add any last words, Mrs. Lecount glided back to her
place, and the sheltering umbrella changed hands