She found Dinah alone; the walking party had not returned.
"Oh, how tired you look, Betty dear!"-- this had been Dinah's constant remark of late.

"You have been shut up with those noisy children and Theo all the morning, instead of sitting on the hillside enjoying the breeze from the moor.

I am afraid"-- here Dinah hesitated--"that Mr.
Herrick was a little hurt about it.

Don't you think one ought to do something to entertain one's guests ?" This was quite a severe reproof from her gentle sister; but Elizabeth only laughed a little mirthless laugh.
"He is your guest, not mine, Dinah--you ought to have gone to the valley yourself"-- which was carrying the attack into the enemy's country.

"No one wanted my society--a disagreeable, cross old maid--eh, Dinah ?" Elizabeth's poor little joke nearly ended disastrously, for her lip quivered and she was very near a sob; but in another minute she recovered herself, and Dinah wisely said no more.
But the moment Elizabeth saw Malcolm's face at luncheon she knew her sister was right: he was unusually silent, rather constrained in manner, and hardly addressed her.
Then an evil spirit of contradiction entered into Elizabeth, and she became suddenly extremely talkative.