you, if you please. I don't want to go among those people, and we can
see it all from the shore.

"Dearest! I don't want to go. You don't mind? Of course, I will go if
you wish, but I would so much rather stay;" and she lengthened her plea
in her attitude and look to melt the discontent she saw gathering.

Adrian protested that she had much better go; that he could amuse himself
very well till their return, and so forth; but she had schemes in her
pretty head, and held to it to be allowed to stay in spite of Lord
Mountfalcon's disappointment, cited by Richard, and at the great risk of
vexing her darling, as she saw. Richard pished, and glanced
contemptuously at Adrian. He gave way ungraciously.

"There, do as you like. Get your things ready to leave this evening.
No, I'm not angry."--Who could be? he seemed as he looked up from her
modest fondling to ask Adrian, and seized the indemnity of a kiss on her
forehead, which, however, did not immediately disperse the shade of
annoyance he felt.

"Good heavens!" he exclaimed. "Such a day as this, and a fellow refuses
to come on the water! Well, come along to the edge of the sea."
Adrian's angelic quality had quite worn off to him. He never thought of
devoting himself to make the most of the material there was: but somebody
else did, and that fair somebody succeeded wonderfully in a few short
hours. She induced Adrian to reflect that the baronet had only to see
her, and the family muddle would be smoothed at once. He came to it by
degrees; still the gradations were rapid. Her manner he liked; she was
certainly a nice picture: best of all, she was sensible. He forgot the
farmer's niece in her, she was so very sensible. She appeared really to