When they started to return she stepped on gallantly
with Priscilla; but Priscilla was stopped by some
chance, having some word to say to her brother, having
some other word to say to Mrs Trevelyan. Could
it be that her austerity had been softened, and that
in kindness they contrived that Nora should be left
some yards behind them with her brother? Whether
it were kindness, or an unkind error, so it was.
Nora, when she perceived what destiny was doing for
her, would not interfere with destiny. If he
chose to speak to her she would hear him and would
answer him. She knew very well what answer she
would give him. She had her answer quite ready
at her fingers’ ends. There was no doubt
about her answer.
They had walked half a mile together and he had spoken
of nothing but the scenery. She had endeavoured
to appear to be excited. Oh, yes, the scenery
of Devonshire was delightful. She hardly wanted
anything more to make her happy. If only this
misery respecting her sister could be set right!
‘And you, you yourself’ said he, ’do
you mean that there is nothing you want in leaving
London?’
‘Not much, indeed.’
’It sometimes seemed to me that that kind of
life was was very pleasant to you.’
‘What kind of life, Mr Stanbury?’
’The life that you were living—going
out, being admired, and having the rich and dainty
all around you.’
‘I don’t dislike people because they are
rich’ she said.
’No; nor do I; and I despise those who affect
to dislike them. But all cannot be rich.’
‘Nor all dainty, as you choose to call them.’
’But they who have once been dainty as I call
them never like to divest themselves of their daintiness.
You have been one of the dainty, Miss Rowley.’
‘Have I?’
’Certainly; I doubt whether you would be happy
if you thought that your daintiness had departed from
you.’
’I hope, Mr Stanbury, that nothing nice and
pleasant has departed from me. If I have ever
been dainty, dainty I hope. I may remain.
I will never, at, any rate, give it up of my own accord’.
Why she said this, she could never explain to herself.
She had certainly not intended to rebuff him when
she had been saying it. But he spoke not a word
to her further as they walked home, either of her
mode of life or of his own.
HUGH STANBURY SMOKES HIS PIPE
Nora Rowley, when she went to bed, after her walk
to Niddon Park in company with Hugh Stanbury, was
full of wrath against, him. But she could not
own her anger to herself, nor could she even confess
to herself though she was breaking her heart that
there really existed for her the slightest cause of
grief. But why had he been so stern to her?
Why had he gone out of his way to be uncivil to her?
He had called her ‘dainty’ meaning to
imply by the epithet that she was one of the butterflies
