"But what if your shove sends people separate? That's not what you
intended, I fancy?"

"No fear: people are not so easily separated as all that."

"Well, we have had an uncommonly pleasant visit: I only wish the heads
of the house had been at home."

Either the attachment of this pair must have been pretty evident to
ordinary capacities, or Mrs. Parker must have been of a matchmaking
turn of mind; probably the latter, for Bessie at least was sure that
no mortal guessed her secret; which was a great comfort to her, seeing
that Edwin was so indifferent. Alas! there is no rose without a thorn,
or if there is it is a scentless, useless thing, most likely incapable
of giving either pleasure or pain.

The Parkers had left early. When the young people went in-doors again
it was only seven o'clock: the girls proposed a game at hide-and-seek,
and Bessie seconded the proposal; for you see it would have been
rather a formidable business to sit down and entertain Mr. Forrester
all the evening with conversation, rational or otherwise; and although
at the moment she was in the dignified position of lady of the castle,
she could not the less enjoy a game amazingly.

The theatre of operations was wisely restricted, because if they had
gone all over the castle they might have hidden themselves so that the
game would have been endless; therefore they kept to the under part
of the inhabited region. At length, tiring of this, they changed their
game to blindman's buff, and went to the kitchen to play it, there