one who was Rob's brother! Innocent Peggy little suspected the
eloquence of that confession, but Hector understood, and read in it the
downfall of his hopes. He sat gazing out to sea, while she looked at
him with anxious eyes, and for a long time neither spoke a word.
Then--"I could have loved you very dearly, Peggy," he said softly, "very
dearly!" The strong chin trembled, and Peggy's heart yearned pitifully
over him, but she noticed with relief that he spoke in problematical
fashion, as if the love were more a possibility of the future than a
present fact. Men of Hector Darcy's type set an exaggerated value on
anything which belongs to themselves, the while they unconsciously
depreciate what is denied them. Peggy understood that the very fact of
her refusal of himself had lessened her attractions in his sight, and
the knowledge brought with it nothing but purest satisfaction.

It was a relief to both when the summons to tea relieved them from their
painful _tete-a-tete_, but if they flattered themselves that their
disturbed looks escaped the notice of their friends, they were quite
mistaken. Each member of the party, even to Mellicent herself, was
aware that some development of the situation had taken place since
lunch, and pondered anxiously as to what it could be. At the one moment
it seemed that they must surely be engaged; at the next it was as
evident that they were not; and Mellicent composed imaginary interviews
the while she demolished cakes and biscuits, in which she heard Peggy's
voice murmuring alternate vows of love and friendship.

"He has proposed to her, I'm certain of it!" she told herself, "and oh,
how I wish I had been there! I'd simply love to have heard him do it.
I'm glad women don't have to ask men to marry them, it must be so
embarrassing to be refused! Now, if Hector Darcy had proposed to me, I
should have said `Yes' out of sheer fright, but Peggy would refuse a
prince to-morrow, if she got the chance. I wonder what she said to him!
In books the girl always says, `I cannot give you my love, but I will
always be your friend.' I should be so cross, if she said that to me,
that I should want to shake her. How could you be friends with a person
who had made you so miserable? ... Now she is smiling at him as
pleasantly as ever ... They _must_ be engaged! I'll be bridesmaid
again, and get a nice present! I wonder what Rob--"

But at this interesting moment Arthur broke in upon her su