Tell Herrick I will look him up at his diggings." By some oversight Elizabeth forgot to give Malcolm this message, and Malcolm, who had to go up to town on business, was much chagrined to find that Cedric had called during his absence, and had been greatly disappointed at missing him.
He went across to the Wood House directly after supper, and found the ladies sitting out on the terrace.
Elizabeth was very contrite.
"It was dreadfully careless of me," she confessed; "I meant to have sent you a note last night, but some one called--who was it, Dinah ?--and put it out of my head." But Dinah could not recollect that any one had called except David Carlyon, and seemed rather surprised at the question.
"Oh, it must have been Mr.Carlyon," returned Elizabeth; but she coloured slightly.

"It was really very stupid of me; Cedric was quite put out about it." "Oh, well, it cannot be helped," observed Malcolm, philosophically.
"Did he say much about the Jacobis ?" "No, he only remarked that they had been very kind, and that he had had a rattling good time.

Those were his words, were they not, Die ?" and Dinah smiled assent.
"We both asked him a heap of questions, but they seemed to bore him; he was full of his Scotch visit, and would scarcely talk of anything else." Malcolm was not quite satisfied, but he kept his doubts to himself.
Elizabeth, who was as sharp as a needle, looked up at him quickly.

"We did our best, I assure you, Mr.Herrick, but he refused to be drawn; he seemed very much excited." "The Wallaces are a good sort of people, are they not ?" was Malcolm's next question.
"Oh yes, they are thoroughly nice;" it was Dinah who answered him.

"Sir Richard is charming, and so is Lady Wallace; and of course Dick is an old acquaintance of ours." "There are some daughters, I believe ?" "Yes, but they are not very young or attractive, poor things," replied Elizabeth--"heavy, podgy sort of girls, but very kind-hearted.