"Well, I believe she intends to have them all. She was quite vexed at my going over to see the ogre, and I think has prejudiced him against my poor darling boys, for as soon as he saw them he called out that he could not receive any one, that he was ill and nervous. But I smiled my very best smile, and said I had come to introduce myself, and I hoped he would let me have a little talk with him. The poor old ogre looked at me rather kindly and earnestly when I said that, and I really do think he would have listened to me, but my sister-in-law would make me come away, as if the sight of me was enough to frighten a horse from his oats; so somehow we got hustled upstairs, and there was an end of it."
"Ah, Mrs. Liddell, you ought not to have allowed yourself to be outmanoeuvred," cried the Colonel, who greatly enjoyed irritating his pretty little friend. "Your _belle-soeur_ (as she really is) is too many for you. Don't you give up; try again when the adorable Katherine is out of the way."
"I fully intend to do so, I assure you," cried Mrs. Frederic, her eyes sparkling, her heart beating with vexation, but determined to keep up the illusion of ingratiating herself with the miserly uncle. "Pray remember this is only a first attempt."
"I am sure you have my devout wishes for your success. How this wretched old hunk can resist such eyes, such a smile, as yours, is beyond my comprehension. If such a niece attacked _me_, I should surrender at the first demand."
"I don't think you would"--a little tartly. "I think you have as keen a regard for your own interest as most men."
"I am sure you would despise me if I had not, and the idea of being despised by you is intolerable."
"You know I do not"--very softly. "But it is time I turned and went toward home."
"Nonsense, my dear Mrs. Liddell! or, if you will turn, let it be round Kensington Gardens. Do you know, I am going to Scotland next week, to Sir Ralph's moor; then I expect a party to meet Errington at my own place early in September; so I shall not have many chances of seeing you until I run up just before Christmas. Now I am going to ask a great favor. It's so hard to get a word with you except under the Argus eyes of that mother-in-law of yours."