ore you knew me--from your very
cradle--I wanted to think you had been mine. I would make you mine by
main force. Elfride,' he went on vehemently, 'I can't help this jealousy
over you! It is my nature, and must be so, and I HATE the fact that you
have been caressed before: yes hate it!'

She drew a long deep breath, which was half a sob. Knight's face was
hard, and he never looked at her at all, still fixing his gaze far out
to sea, which the sun had now resigned to the shade. In high places it
is not long from sunset to night, dusk being in a measure banished, and
though only evening where they sat, it had been twilight in the
valleys for half an hour. Upon the dull expanse of sea there gradually
intensified itself into existence the gleam of a distant light-ship.

'When that lover first kissed you, Elfride was it in such a place as
this?'

'Yes, it was.'

'You don't tell me anything but what I wring out of you. Why is that?
Why have you suppressed all mention of this when casual confidences of
mine should have suggested confidence in return? On board the Juliet,
why were you so secret? It seems like being made a fool of, Elfride, to
think that, when I was teaching you how desirable it was that we should
have no secrets from each other, you were assenting in words, but in act
contradicting me. Confidence would have been so much more promising for
our happiness. If you had had confidence in me, and told me willingly, I
should--be different. But you suppress everything, and I shall question
you. Did you live at Endelstow at that time?'

'Yes,' she said faintly.

'Where were you when he first kissed you?'

'Sitting in this seat.'

'Ah, I thought so!' said Knight, rising and facing her.

'And that accounts for everything--the exclamation which you explained
deceitfully, and all! Forgive the harsh word, Elfride--forgive it.' He
smiled a surface smile as he continued: 'What a poor mortal I am to play
second fiddle in everything and to be deluded by fibs!'

'Oh, don't say it; don't, Harry!'

'Where did he kiss you besides here?'

'Sitting on--a tomb in the--churchyard--and other places,' she answered
with slow recklessness.

'Never mind, never mind,' he exclaimed, on seeing her tears and
perturbation. 'I don't want to grieve you. I don't care.'

But Knight did care.

'It makes no difference, you know,' he continued, seeing she did not
reply.

'I feel cold,' said Elfride. 'Shall we go home?'

'Yes; it is