h she leant.
Geoffrey stalked straight up to it as though he did not see her; he saw
her well enough, but he was cross with her.

She allowed him to pass through the gate, which he shut slowly, perhaps
to give her an opportunity of speaking, if she wished to do so; then
thinking that he did not see her she spoke in her soft, musical voice.

"Did you have good sport, Mr. Bingham?"

"No," he answered shortly; "I saw very little, and I missed all I saw."

"I am so sorry, except for the birds. I hate the birds to be killed. Did
you not see me in this white dress? I saw you fifty yards away."

"Yes, Miss Granger," he answered, "I saw you."

"And you were going by without speaking to me; it was very rude of
you--what is the matter?"

"Not so rude as it was of you to arrange to walk out with me and then to
go and see Mr. Davies instead."

"I could not help it, Mr. Bingham; it was an old engagement, which I had
forgotten."

"Quite so, ladies generally have an excuse for doing what they want to
do."

"It is not an excuse, Mr. Bingham," Beatrice answered, with dignity;
"there is no need for me to make excuses to you about my movements."

"Of course not, Miss Granger; but it would be more polite to tell me
when you change your mind--next time, you know. However, I have no doubt
that the Castle has attractions for you."

She flashed one look at him and turned to go, and as she did so his
heart relented; he grew ashamed.

"Miss Granger, don't go; forgive me. I do not know what has become of my
manners, I spoke as I should not. The fact is, I was put out at your not
coming. To tell you the honest truth, I missed you dreadfully."

"You missed me. That is very nice of you; one likes to be missed. But,
if you missed me for one afternoon, how will you get on a week hence
when you go away and miss me altogether?"

Beatrice spoke in a bantering tone, and laughed as she spoke, but the
laugh ended in something like a sigh. He looked at her for a moment,
looked till she dropped her eyes.

"Heaven only knows!" he answered sadly.

"Let us go in," said Beatrice, in a constrained voice; "how chill the
air has turned."

CHAPTER XV

ONLY GOOD-NIGHT

Five more days passed, all too quickly, and once more Monday came round.
It was the 22nd of October, and the Michaelmas Sittings began on the
24th. On the morrow, Tuesday, Geoffrey was to return to London, there
to meet Lady Honoria and get to work at Chambers. That very mo