“You have finished that correspondence?”

“I shall finish it in time for the post,” Scott made answer.

Eustace made a sound expressive of dissatisfaction.  “You’ll miss it sure as a gun!”

Scott said nothing further, but his silence was not without a certain mastery that sent an odd little thrill of triumph through Dinah.

Eustace frowned heavily and turned from him.

The entrance of Biddy with the tea made a diversion, for her greeting of Dinah was full of warmth.

“But sure, ye’re not looking like I’d like to see ye, Miss Dinah,” was her verdict.  “It’s meself that’ll have to feed ye up.”

“But I’m always thin!” protested Dinah.  “It’s just the way I’m made.”

Biddy pursed her lips and shook her head.  “It’s not the sign of a contented mind,” she commented.

“I never was contented before I went to Switzerland,” said Dinah; she turned to Isabel.  “Wasn’t it all lovely?  It’s just like a dream to me now—­all glitter and romance.  I’d give anything to have it over again.”

“I’ll show you better things than winter in the Alps,” said Eustace in his free, imperial fashion.

Her bright eyes glanced up to his for a moment.  “Do you know I don’t believe you could,” she said.

He laughed.  “You won’t say that six months hence.  The Alps will be no more than an episode to you then.”

“Rather an important episode,” remarked Scott.

Her look came to him, settled upon him like a shy bird at rest.  “Very, very important,” she said softly.  “Do you remember that first day—­that first night—­how you helped me dress for the ball?  Eustace would never have thought of dancing with me if it hadn’t been for you.”

“I seem to have a good deal to answer for,” said Scott, with his rather tired smile.

“I owe you—­everything,” said Dinah.

“Stumpy has many debtors,” said Isabel.

Eustace uttered a brief laugh.  “Stumpy scores without running,” he observed.  “He always has.  Saves trouble, eh, Stumpy?”

“Quite so,” said Scott with precision.  “It’s easy to be kind when it costs you nothing.”

“And it pays,” said Eustace.

Dinah’s green eyes went back to him with something of a flash.  “Scott would never have thought of that,” she said.

“I am sure he wouldn’t,” said Eustace dryly.

Her look darted about him like an angry bird seeking some vulnerable point whereat to strike.  But before she could speak, Scott leaned forward and intervened.

“My thoughts are my own private property, if no one objects,” he said whimsically.  “Judge me—­if you must—­by my actions!  But I should prefer not to be judged at all.  Have you told Dinah about the invitation to the de Vignes’s, Eustace?”

“No!  They haven’t asked you for the wedding surely!” Dinah’s thoughts were instantly diverted.  “Have they really?  I never thought they would.  Oh, that will be fun!  I expect Rose is trying to pretend she isn’t—­” She broke off, colouring vividly.  “What a pig I am!” she said apologetically to Scott.  “Please forget I said that!”