bringing sharp, short speeches about Edwin's ears tinged with sarcasm
that were meant to convey to him the conviction that she did not care
a pin about him; and they answered the purpose admirably.

Love is a fickle game, which they
Whose stakes are deepest worst can play,

Edwin was at Cockhoolet that Christmas Day by the same fatality that
causes a moth to hover round a brilliant light; and when her sister
told Bessie that Edwin had come and was putting his horse into the
stable, she said, "Is Mr. Forrester here again? He must surely be dull
at home." But of course she received him with friendly civility.

Edwin employed the forenoon out of doors with the boys and two other
visitors. A Mr. and Mrs. Parker arriving unexpectedly, who were
anxious to see the castle, the afternoon was spent in going through
every part of it from dungeon to roof.

Bessie carried the keys: she was châtelaine, seneschal and cicerone,
all rolled in one.

Going up the narrow stairs, the party had to climb Indian file: in the
passages they could spread out a little, and in some of the rooms in
the uninhabited portion they had to walk circumspectly, as if they
were crossing water on stepping-stones, for the flooring was wanting
in some places, leaving a stretch of bare rafters. Bessie tripped
lightly over them, and then turned to wait for the others. "Don't be
frightened," she said: "these rafters are as sound as the day they
were laid down. The flooring has not rotted: it must have been taken
up for some purpose. They did not know how to scamp work in those