Cecil raised her eyebrows, and a scornful beam shot from the dark eyes
that were her chief attraction.

"Nor could the 'dairy flower' herself, I should think. It's no use
rhapsodizing before me, Bertie; _I_ shall not tell her in any
confidential communication, whatever you may think."

"Ah, well," said Captain Du Meresq, with a sigh, "let us hope the
ingenious child may understand the universal language of the eyes, for
I hear papa would not approve of my speaking to her."

Mrs. Rolleston was becoming fidgetty. To some women, as they advance
in years, an inability of separating chaff from earnest becomes more
pronounced, and the uppermost wish of her mind at present was to see a
real attachment between Bertie and Cecil. Albert Du Meresq was only her
half-brother; but he had become her charge in infancy under terrible
circumstances, which we will briefly relate.

When Mr. Du Meresq married his mother, a wilful Irish beauty, Mrs.
Rolleston was a shy, reserved girl of thirteen, and became very jealous
of her father's exclusive devotion to his bride and neglect of herself.

Lady Inez looked upon her as rather a nuisance, and was coldly critical
upon her appearance and manner. She was an unsparing mimic, and
frequently exercised the faculty on her step-daughter, whose nervousness
became awkwardness in the constant expectation of being turned into
ridicule. Consequently, she cordially disliked not only Lady Inez, but
the little step-brother, who was made of so much importance, till one
ghastly day changed the aspect of events.