one, was only just
going, and she perceived the face of each was tired and depressed.

"What have you been doing?" she rallied them. "You looked as if you
had been intending to read the marriage service through together, and
had read the funeral one by mistake; or possibly because it appealed
to you more!... You both seemed doleful enough for anything."

"We missed you," Meryl said, simply. "William wanted to ask you about
a new measure he is planning."

Van Hert said nothing, but he was looking at her unconsciously, with a
light in his eyes that staggered her. Other men had looked at her with
admiration, but this man had an expression that seemed to envelop her
with himself. She felt throughout her pulses that he was all fire and
eagerness and intensity, a strong, wilful, obstinate, fierce, virile
personality that reached out mute, unconscious arms to her
level-headed coolness. The fire in his eyes was only smouldering as
yet, but it seemed to tell her that he was a fine-toned, brilliant
instrument that she, and perhaps she only, could play upon as she
liked, bringing forth both thundering chords and enveloping sweetness.

And in the sudden silence that had fallen upon the verandah, Diana
knew that she liked to play, would always like to play, that with this
man at least boredom would never fret her restless soul.

Then she plunged into words with him, and they sparred delightedly,
and that work he had spoken of as awaiting him at home was left to
take care of itself.

Later, Diana went outside on the verandah of her room and Meryl's and
looked at the stars. The tables had turned utterly, but it was
doubtful if either of them perceived it. Meryl went quietly to bed
with only a few words, and either slept, or feigned sleep. Diana
loitered on the verandah, and looked at the stars. She hardly knew
why, only some strange half-consciousness was springing up inside her
that made her restless. Somehow van Hert seemed to be gaining a hold
over her. She could not gauge how, nor why, nor wherefore; but as she
thought of his fine dark eyes in the starlight, with that luminous,
glad expression when he looked at her, she had a sense of violent
antipathy one moment, and of a gladness that made her blush secretly
the next.

But within three days the date of the wedding was fixed, and all the
papers paragraphed it far and wide.

It appeared in Salisbury the day after Ailsa had had her talk with
Carew, and it came as a shock