Kate silently reclined her head, and after exchanging a few more remarks with Mrs. Storey, Colonel Dashwood took his leave, promising, with great earnestness, that should anything occur to delay his departure, he would, without fail, make his appearance among the "expected few friends," on the 30th.
"Good-bye, Miss Vernon," said he, pressing her hand kindly; "thanks for your _carte du pays_; take care of yourself, for I cannot give a very flourishing account of you to Lady Desmond; there is more of the _beauté fragile_ in your appearance, than I like to see. When do you join your cousin?"
"Oh do not talk of that, Colonel Dashwood," interrupted Mrs. Storey. "We cannot part with Miss Vernon for a long time to come."
"I wish you all success in your fishing; only remember the grand characteristic of your craft is patience."
"What a nice man he is to be sure," cried Mrs. Storey, as soon as they were _tête-à-tête_, "so full of life, but quite different from Lord Effingham. Those gentleman in the army have such a gay, off-hand manner."
"Yes, Colonel Dashwood is very much to be liked--I am very fond of him."
"What would my lord say to that?" asked Mrs. Storey.
"Two strings to one's bow, are sometimes as bad as none," remarked Mrs. Storey, oracularly.
"Between two stools, etc., is that your meaning?" asked Kate, carelessly. "I must take off my bonnet and shawl and finish the discussion at tea."
Miss Vernon was glad to have seen Colonel Dashwood, and heard from him, of Lord Effingham's presence in London; she could now, if necessary, mention it to Lady Desmond, without betraying nurse--but she trusted it would not be necessary, for his disinclination to accompany Colonel Dashwood in his visit, had led her to hope he had accepted her dismissal as final, and already begun to forget his _engouement_. She was glad too, that Colonel Dashwood was about to follow her cousin--such a mark of decided preference from a man, so deservedly esteemed as the Colonel, might, she thought, soothe her cousin's mortified spirit; and, perhaps, supply her with a real and substantial object of affection, as she woke from the vain dream, that had proved so bitterly deceitful. "I have heard dear grandpapa say, hearts were sometimes caught in the rebound."