Miss Dunstable was treating him like a boy.
While she pretended to be so fond of him she was only laughing at him, and corresponding the while with his cousin George.

Now Frank Gresham already entertained a sort of contempt for his cousin, which increased the bitterness of his feelings.

Could it really be possible that George had succeeded while he had utterly failed; that his stupid cousin had touched the heart of the heiress while she was playing with him as with a boy?
"Of all your knights! Is that the way you talk to me when we are going to part?
When was it, Miss Dunstable, that George de Courcy became one of them ?" Miss Dunstable for a while looked serious enough.

"What makes you ask that ?" said she.

"What makes you inquire about Mr de Courcy ?" "Oh, I have eyes, you know, and can't help seeing.