His satisfaction was hardly diminished by a hair's-breath when Cedric suggested that they might go round by Rotherwood on their way home and give David a verbal invitation.

"He might be engaged if we waited until to-morrow," he said seriously; "the busy D--is rather a popular person, and the young ladies of Earlsfield and Staplegrove are always on the look-out for him." "You would not dare to say that if Elizabeth were in the room," but Dinah spoke quite innocently and had no arriere pensee.
"I know that Betty monopolises him to any extent," retorted Cedric, "and it is a shame when that poor little Tina--" Then Dinah quite flushed up and said quickly, "Hush, how can you be so silly, Cedric.

Tina is a perfect baby.

Who cares what a foolish little flirting thing says about Elizabeth! You ought not to repeat such speeches." "There is always so much gossip in a village," observed Malcolm, with a laudable intention of casting oil on the troubled waters, for he saw that Dinah was really vexed at Cedric's careless speech; "and an unmarried curate is always rather an attraction to some genus of young ladies." "Mr.Carlyon never encouraged them," returned Dinah quietly.

"The fact is, Mr.Herrick, Tina Ross is rather a mischievous little person.