"I only know," said the daughter, with dark emphasis, "I wouldn't drive
with him now, if he went on his bended knees to ask me."

"Thank you, Bella," said Bertie, returning. "Nice little game you had cut
out for me! What an odious girl!"

Cecil's jealous instinct detected the root of this animosity, more
especially guided thereto by his attempt to secure Bluebell as a
companion, which had surprised her not too agreeably.

"What is her crime," said she, sarcastically, "beyond a rather
transparent design of driving with you Bertie?"

"She is hung with bangles like an Indian squaw, and has a Yankee twang in
her voice."

"She pretended to scarcely remember me," said Bluebell, "though we were
at school together."

"Jealous, I dare say," laughed Bertie. "Is she an admirer of Jack
Vavasour's?"

"Fancy any one admiring a boy like that!" said Bluebell, who did not feel
in charity with her allotted charioteer.

Bertie had advanced to take her cup, and as she said this, it seemed to
Cecil he touched her hand caressingly under cover of it.

"I dare say," said she sharply, "Alice Kendal has as many admirers as
other people, and, perhaps, can dispense with counting Captain Du Meresq