he would like to put out her
hand and touch him to see if he were tangible or a thing of illusion as
she led the way to the turret summer-house.

The wall which protected the garden from the sea was very high and this
little tower had been in the original fortifications and had been
cleverly adapted to its present use. It was open, with glass which slid
back on the southern side, and its great windows looked out over the
blue waters and granite rocks on the other. The little bay curved round
so that from there you got a three-quarter view of the chateau.

Sabine put her basket down, and climbing up the wooden step she seated
herself upon the high window-seat, her feet dangling while she opened
the casement wide. Michael stood beside her leaning upon the sill--so
that she was slightly above him.

"What a glorious view!" he exclaimed; "it is certainly a perfect spot.
Why, it has everything! The sea and its waves to dash up at it--and then
this lovely garden for shelter and peace. What a fortunate young woman
you are!"

"Yes, am I not?"

"I have an old castle, too--perhaps Henry has told you about it. We have
owned it ever since Adam, I suppose!" and he laughed. "The grim part of
this is rather like it in a way; I mean the stone passages and huge
rooms--but of course the architecture is different. It has been the
scene of every sort of fight. I should like to show it to you some day."

Stupefaction rose in Sabine's mind. After all, had she been mistaken,
and had he really not recognized her?--or had her acting of the night
before convinced him that his first ideas must be wrong and that she was
really not his wife! Excitement thrilled her. But if he was playing a
part, she then must certainly play, too, and not speak to him about the
divorce until he spoke to her. Thus they were unconsciously the one set
against the other and both determined that the other should show first
hand. It looked as though the interests of Lord Fordyce might be somehow
forgotten!

They talked thus for half an hour, Michael asking questions about
Heronac with polite interest and without ever saying a sentence with a
double meaning, and she replying with frank information, and both
burning with excitement and zest. Then her great charm began to affect
him so profoundly that unconsciously something of eagerness and emotion
crept into his voice. It was one of those voices full of extraordinarily
attractive cadences at any time, and made for t