"Lady Corsoon always receives me so coldly, that I scarcely dare call," confessed the young man dismally. "I daresay Maunders has put a spoke in my wheel in that quarter."
"Yes; but, hang it, he can't mean to marry both girls?"
"You forget what I hinted just now, Towton. Mrs. Bedge assured me, and with great grief, as she wants the marriage to take place, that Miss Dimsdale has ceased to care for her nephew."
Only military self-control prevented the Colonel from throwing his tall hat in the air. "I thought she was kinder to me to-day," he said jubilantly, "and she never mentioned Maunders' name, now I think of it. Do you believe that I have a chance, Vernon?"
"A better one than ever you had," replied Vernon heartily, "and you may be sure I shall endeavour to aid you in every way. But, by the way, how is Miss Dimsdale? I have seen her only once since the burial of her father, and, of course, then she was overcome with grief."
Towton thought for a moment before replying. "To tell you the truth, Vernon, I don't think that dark-browed young woman is a good companion for her in any way."
"Why not?" Vernon was rather struck that Mrs. Bedge and the Colonel should unknowingly agree on this point. "She is clever?"
"Oh, I daresay, and, if you ask me, a sight too clever," grumbled the Colonel, shouldering his thin umbrella like a gun. "Ida--well, I can call her Ida to you, since we have become so friendly--Ida is a charming girl, but not strong-minded. I shouldn't seek her for my wife if she were, as I hate masterful women. Miss Hest is of that sort, and she seems to have too much control over Ida. In fact--I may be wrong, and I wouldn't say this to anyone but yourself--but it's a kind of hypnotism."
"H'm. Do you remember what the Concini woman said about her supposed magical influence over Marie de Medici: that she only used the influence of a strong mind over a weak one?"
"Oh, I don't think Ida is weak-minded," said the Colonel hastily; "she is a sweet, loving, delightful girl, who would make any man happy. But Miss Hest is what I call a cat: yes, an amiable cat, so long as things go to her liking, but I'm sure she could show her claws if necessary."
"She supports no one but herself. It seems to me that she finds that the reciting doesn't pay, and so hopes to become Ida's companion for life. If Ida married she'd be nowhere. I fancy for that reason she wishes to keep Ida single, and so doesn't countenance either Maunders or myself."