"You were bored last night, weren't you?
I wonder if I could teach you to dance." "I wonder," said Merryon.
His eyes dwelt upon her in her fresh white muslin.

What a child she looked! Not pretty--no, not pretty; but what a magic smile she had! She sat down at the table facing him, and leaned her elbows upon it.

"I wonder if I could!" she said again, and then broke into her sudden laugh.
"What's the joke ?" asked Merryon.
"Oh, nothing!" she said, recovering herself.

"It suddenly came over me, that's all--poor old Mother Paget's face, supposing she had seen me last night." "Didn't she see you last night?
I thought you were more or less in the public eye," said Merryon.
"Oh, I meant after the dance," she explained.

"I felt sort of wound up and excited after I got back.