Rachel either, my fancy saw them walking in
the moonlight without. For it was a warm evening, the windows were open,
the stars bright, and people went in and out at their pleasure. The
flowers smelt sweetly in the dew, and the nightingales were singing.
There was a game of hide-and-seek on the lawn, and when the shrieks and
laughter were subsiding, some one began to sing within. Rachel was
entertaining the old ladies and gentlemen, and the rovers flocked round
the windows to listen. I had sauntered with Captain Tyrrell into a grove
to hear a nightingale, and I was weary to death of his company. He was
trying to make me promise to go to London. "Oh, let it rest," I said,
"we will talk about it to-morrow. Let us be merry to-night. We will play
hide-and-seek again!" and I darted suddenly among the trees, and lay
close behind a great oak. My squire lost me; I heard him go past
plunging through the underwood, and swearing a little. I lay still till
he had given up the search and gone towards the house, and then, like
the silly lamb in the spelling-book story, I came forth in the
moonlight, and if I did not skip and frisk about with delight, I at
least enjoyed myself after the only dismal fashion I could command.
Captain Tyrrell was to me, in these days, a veritable old man of the
sea, I could not get rid of him, and sometimes I thought in my most
despairing moods that it was going to be my lot to carry him on my
shoulders for the remainder of my life.

I was walking slowly, musing ruefully, when I saw a figure advancing to
meet me on the path. I saw at a glance that it was John Hollingford. The
time had been when I would have flown gladly to meet him, linked my arm
in his, and seized the opportunity for one of our old talks about
pleasant fancies. But this was not the friend I had known, nor was I any
longer the simple girl who could open her heart to trust, and delight in
shining dreams. The pleasant fancies had been proved cheats, the stars
had fallen. I no longer looked up at the sky, but down to the ground.
For a moment I shrank back, and would have hidden, but then I thought
bitterly, what did it matter? Unpleasant words must be said between us,
sooner or later. A very few would suffice. Better they were said at
once.

"Margery," said John, "people are looking for you, and talking about
you. I have come to fetch you to the house. To tell the truth I am glad
of the opportunity of saying something which has been long upo