Their love affairs, frank and rather infantile, were of a very different calibre from the earnest passions that Althea had aroused--passions usually initiated by intellectual sympathy and nourished on introspection and a constant interchange of serious literature.
It was soon evident that Dorothy, though she and Captain Merton became the best of friends, had no intention of accepting him.

Mrs.Merton, the vicar's wife, had at first been afraid lest she should, not having then ascertained what Mrs.Pepperell's fortune might be; but after satisfying herself on this point by a direct cross-examination of Althea, she was as much amazed as incensed when her boy told her ruefully that he had been refused three times.

Althea was very indignant when she realised that Mrs.Merton, bland and determined in her latest London hat, was trying to find out whether Dorothy was a good enough match for Captain Merton, and it was pleasant to watch Mrs.Merton's subsequent discomfiture.

At the same time, she felt that to follow in Mildred and Dorothy's triumphant wake was hardly what she had expected to do at Merriston House.
Other things, too, were discouraging.

Helen had hardly written at all.
She had sent a postcard from Scotland to say that she would have to put off coming till later in August.