He left Beatrice, as he almost always did, with a sense of irritation.

It was her frank and open indifference that impelled him to her side.
Indifference when Captain Bertram chose to woo was an altogether novel experience to so fascinating an individual.

Hitherto it had been all the other way.

He had flirted many times, and with success.

Once even he had fallen in love; he owned to himself that he had been badly hit, but there had been no doubt at all about his love being returned, it had been given back to him in full and abundant measure.