It was not quite clear to him that she did not take him for a boy.

He was, to be sure, avenged on her for that by taking her for a middle-aged woman; but, nevertheless, he was hardly satisfied with himself; "I might give her a heartache yet," said he to himself, "and she might find afterwards that she was left in the lurch with all her money." And so he retired, solitary, into a far part of the room, and began to think of Mary Thorne.

As he did so, and as his eyes fell upon Miss Dunstable's stiff curls, he almost shuddered.
And then the ladies retired.

His aunt, with a good-natured smile on her face, come to him as she was leaving the room, the last of the bevy, and putting her hand on his arm, led him out into a small unoccupied chamber which opened from the grand saloon.
"Upon my word, Master Frank," said she, "you seem to be losing no time with the heiress.

You have quite made an impression already." "I don't know much about that, aunt," said he, looking rather sheepish.
"Oh, I declare you have; but, Frank, my dear boy, you should not precipitate these sort of things too much.