Adelaide had arranged her plans too skillfully for that.

She began by saying how much Allan admired Marion; then, seeing the idea was not displeasing to the young heiress, she gradually told her how he was certain to die of love for her.
If a wise mother had trained the girl, she would have been less susceptible; as it was, the notion of a handsome young artist dying for her was not at all unpleasant.

She was seventeen, and had never had a lover.

Other girls had talked about their flirtations; nothing of the kind had ever occurred to her.

True, whenever she went out she could not help noticing how men's eyes lingered on her face; but that one should love her--love her so dearly as to die for her, was to her romantic imagination strange as it was beautiful.