Linley treated her like a child; he smiled, and patted her on the shoulder.
"Nonsense!" he said gayly.

"There is no merit in being kind to my good little governess." She took that comforting hand--it was a harmless impulse that she was unable to resist--she bent over it, and kissed it gratefully.

He drew his hand away from her as if the soft touch of her lips had been fire that burned it.

"Oh," she cried, "have I done wrong ?" "No, my dear--no, no." There was an embarrassment in his manner, the inevitable result of his fear of himself if he faltered in the resolute exercise of self-restraint, which was perfectly incomprehensible to Sydney.

He moved his seat back a little, so as to place himself further away.