man like you--"

But Esther never discovered what he meant by "a woman like you." He had
gone a little further than her brain would take her. Did he mean a woman
altogether charming, like her--or? She dropped the inquiry very soon,
because it seemed to lead nowhere and it was pleasanter to think the
things that do not worry one.

Jeff remembered afterward that he had known from the beginning of the
walk with her that they should meet all Addington. But it was not the
Addington he had irritably dreaded. It was Lydia. His heart died as he
saw her coming, and his brain called on every reserve within him to keep
Esther from knowing that here was his heart's lady, this brave creature
whose honour was untainted, who had a woman's daring and a man's
endurance. He even, after that first alarm of a glance, held his eyes
from seeing her and he kept on scolding Esther.

"What's the use," he said, "talking like that?" And then his mind told
him there must be no confusion in what he said. He was defending Lydia.
He was pulling over her the green leaves of secrecy. "I advise you," he
said, "to get away from here. Get away from Madame Beattie--get away
from grandmother--" Lydia was very near now. He felt he could afford to
see her. "Ah, Lydia!" he said casually, and took off his hat.

They were past her, but not before Esther had asked, in answer:

"Where shall we go? I mean--" she caught herself up from her wilful
stumbling--"where could I go--alone?"

They were at her own gate, and Jeff stopped with her. Since they left
Lydia he had held his hat in his hand, and Esther, looking up at him saw
that he had paled under his tan. The merciless woman in her took stock
of that, rejoicing. Jeff smiled at her faintly, he was so infinitely
glad to leave her.

"We must think," he said. "You must think. Esther, about money, I'll
try--I don't know yet what I can earn--but we'll see. Oh, hang it! these
things can't be said."

He turned upon the words and strode off and Esther, without looking
after him, went in and at once upstairs.

"Good girl!" Madame Beattie called to her, from her room. "Well begun is
half done."

Esther did not answer. Neither did she take the trouble to hate Aunt
Patricia for saying it. She went instantly to her glass, and smiled into
it. The person who smiled back at her was young and very engaging.
Esther liked her. She thought she could trust her to do the best thing
possible.

Jeff went home and stood just