quite dry now, and that, as they had missed the garrison drive, they had
better take one on their own account. Miss Lilla, unrestrained by the
detective eyes of her elder sister, was ripe for any frolic, and Bertie
certainly did not find so many obstacles in the way of an affectionate
flirtation as he had with Bluebell.

But our business is with the trans-Atlantic picnic in the snow, not with
the "cutting out" expedition of this reprobate pair. Having distributed
the remainder of the luncheon to the servants, a start was again
effected. Lilla's adventure had left its impression one way or another on
two or three of the party. Jack was delighted that Du Meresq was off on a
fresh pursuit, and so not likely to be hanging about Bluebell; and that
damsel was trying, by a reckless flirtation with Vavasour, to stifle the
vexatious conviction that Bertie had only been making a fool of her on
Sunday, and was now probably repeating the same game with Miss Tremaine.
Yet at this period her vanity was more wounded than her heart; very
different from poor Cecil, whose infatuation was of older date, and not
the mere result of a few flattering speeches.

For a girl of her disposition to set her affections on a man like Bertie
was certain misery. She had no rivals in those days when she learnt to
care so intensely for the sympathetic companion who understood her so
much better than any one else. He understood her; therein was the potent
charm; her mind awoke and her ideas vivified from contact with his, as
two happily-contrasted colours become brighter in hue in juxtaposition.
No companion had ever suited her so perfectly, and yet Bertie had
scarcely made direct love to her. It seemed a matter of course that they
should care most for each other, and Cecil's young and ardent heart had
drifted beyond recall ere she had done more than suspect another side to
his character.