_You_ haven't seen 'Soapy Sam,' the Vicar of Woodcote, or that beast, George Crofts; but if you _had_, you'd be as sure as I am that neither of them was _my_ father--thank goodness! As to Frank--yes--for a short time I _was_ fond of him--till I learnt about my mother's 'profession.' It was rather a silly sort of fondness.

He was two years younger than I; I suppose my feeling for him was half motherly ...

I neither encouraged him nor did I repel him.

I think I was experimenting ...

I rather wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed by a man.