’Well, my dear Miss Sarti, and how do you feel now?—­a little better, I see.  I thought you would be, sitting quietly here.  These headaches, now, are all from weakness.  You must not over-exert yourself, and you must take bitters.  I used to have just the same sort of headaches when I was your age, and old Dr Samson used to say to my mother, “Madam, what your daughter suffers from is weakness.”  He was such a curious old man, was Dr Samson.  But I wish you could have heard the sermon this morning.  Such an excellent sermon!  It was about the ten virgins:  five of them were foolish, and five were clever, you know; and Mr. Gilfil explained all that.  What a very pleasant young man he is! so very quiet and agreeable, and such a good hand at whist.  I wish we had him at Farleigh.  Sir John would have liked him beyond anything; he is so good-tempered at cards, and he was such a man for cards, was Sir John.  And our rector is a very irritable man; he can’t bear to lose his money at cards.  I don’t think a clergyman ought to mind about losing his money; do you?—­do you now?’

‘O pray, Lady Assher,’ interposed Beatrice, in her usual tone of superiority, ’do not weary poor Caterina with such uninteresting questions.  Your head seems very bad still, dear,’ she continued, in a condoling tone, to Caterina; ’do take my vinaigrette, and keep it in your pocket.  It will perhaps refresh you now and then.’

‘No, thank you,’ answered Caterina; ‘I will not take it away from you.’

‘Indeed, dear, I never use it; you must take it,’ Miss Assher persisted, holding it close to Tina’s hand.  Tina coloured deeply, pushed the vinaigrette away with some impatience, and said, ’Thank you, I never use those things.  I don’t like vinaigrettes.’

Miss Assher returned the vinaigrette to her pocket in surprise and haughty silence, and Captain Wybrow, who had looked on in some alarm, said hastily, ’See! it is quite bright out of doors now.  There is time for a walk before luncheon.  Come, Beatrice, put on your hat and cloak, and let us have half an hour’s walk on the gravel.’

‘Yes, do, my dear,’ said Lady Assher, ’and I will go and see if Sir Christopher is having his walk in the gallery.’

As soon as the door had closed behind the two ladies, Captain Wybrow, standing with his back to the fire, turned towards Caterina, and said in a tone of earnest remonstrance, ’My dear Caterina.  Let me beg of you to exercise more control over your feelings; you are really rude to Miss Assher, and I can see that she is quite hurt.  Consider how strange your behaviour must appear to her.  She will wonder what can be the cause of it.  Come, dear Tina,’ he added, approaching her, and attempting to take her hand; ’for your own sake let me entreat you to receive her attentions politely.  She really feels very kindly towards you, and I should be so happy to see you friends.’

Caterina was already in such a state of diseased susceptibility that the most innocent words from Captain Wybrow would have been irritating to her, as the whirr of the most delicate wing will afflict a nervous patient.  But this tone of benevolent remonstrance was intolerable.  He had inflicted a great and unrepented injury on her, and now he assumed an air of benevolence towards her.  This was a new outrage.  His profession of goodwill was insolence.